CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Mobile Phones

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many smartphone apps her Department has launched.

Helen Grant: The Department has not launched any smartphone apps.

HEALTH

Life Expectancy: Merseyside

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to address lower life expectancy rates on Merseyside.

Jane Ellison: Local councils, working with clinical commissioning group partners and health and well-being boards, are responsible for improving the health of their local communities. They have the expertise, resources, and responsibilities to improve life expectancy in their area.
	We are aware of the innovative work under way in Liverpool and the recent award to the Heart of Mersey Charity for their work in developing healthy environments.
	It is for national Government to support this innovation, and to help deliver these improvements we have given local authorities £5.46 billion of ring-fenced funding over the next two years. The public health grant for Liverpool was £40.3 million (£87 per head) in 2013-14, rising to. £41.4 million (£89) per head in 2014-15. This compares to a United Kingdom average grant of £49 per head for 2013-14.
	National initiatives such as calorie labelling in restaurants, action on point of sale tobacco advertising and alcohol unit labelling are also supporting local efforts to improve public health.

Health and Social Care Provision: Integration

Robert Buckland: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to improve integration in health and social care provision.

Norman Lamb: Our integration pioneers programme will provide dedicated support to the most innovative areas in the country to help them break down barriers and deliver integrated care at scale and at pace. The learning from these pioneering sites will be shared with all areas to support the delivery of the £3.8 billion Integration Transformation Fund—a pooled fund between local government and health to promote better integration between health and care services. The fund will provide the biggest ever financial incentive to all local areas to integrate services in a way that improves outcomes and experiences for individuals.

Microprocessor Knees: Access

Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to ensure that lower limb amputees are able to access microprocessor knees through the NHS at the same level as recommended should be made available in 'A Better Deal for Military Amputees'.

Norman Lamb: Microprocessor knees are not currently routinely funded on the national health service for civilian patients.
	NHS England's Clinical Reference Group for Complex Disability Equipment is developing an upper and lower limb prosthetics policy. This will consider the clinical and cost effectiveness of all type of prosthetics including microprocessor limbs for routine commissioning.

Accident and Emergency Departments: Closure

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many accident and emergency departments are planned for closure during the current spending round.

Daniel Poulter: The reconfiguration of local health services—including Accident and Emergency—is, and will remain, a fundamentally local process. What matters is that decisions about service changes are clinically driven and that patients and the public are involved in those changes to ensure they get the highest quality care.

Health Tourism

Simon Danczuk: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent steps he has taken to reduce health tourism.

Jeremy Hunt: We have recently consulted widely on possible changes to the way overseas visitors and migrants are charged for access to the national health service and will be publishing the Government's response shortly. In parallel we have appointed Sir Keith Pearson, a senior, respected figure within the NHS, as the independent adviser to our NHS Cost Recovery Programme.

Redundancy Costs

Meg Hillier: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to reduce costs of redundancy in the NHS.

Daniel Poulter: National health service organisations always seek to keep redundancies to a minimum, working with trade unions to ensure staff are redeployed elsewhere in the NHS wherever possible.
	Making a redundancy payment is always a last resort

NHS England: Funding

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions he has had with the chair of NHS England on priorities for future funding; and if he will make a statement.

Jeremy Hunt: The recent accountability meeting between myself and the chair of NHS England considered the refresh of the mandate to NHS England for 2014-15, the associated funding and clinical commissioning group funding allocations, among other issues.
	The forthcoming refreshed mandate to NHS England will set out the Government's objectives for the national health service and the agreed funding for 2014-15.

Cancer Drugs Fund

Steve Brine: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effect of the Cancer Drugs Fund (a) to date and (b) over the next two years.

Jeremy Hunt: More than 34,000 patients have benefited from the Cancer Drugs Fund since October 2010. The extra £400 million funding we recently announced will benefit many thousands more over the next two years.

Cancer Survival Rates: Data

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will bring forward legislative proposals to introduce standardised packaging of tobacco products.

Jane Ellison: The Government has decided to wait before making a decision on standardised packaging. This policy remains under active consideration.

Care Homes

Liz Kendall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether and at what level a centrally determined interest rate on deferred payment agreements for residential care costs will be introduced in the Care Bill.

Norman Lamb: To cover the costs of lending and the risk of non-payment, local authorities will be able to charge interest during the lifetime of a deferred payment. The Care Bill has a regulatory making power to set a national interest rate.
	As set out in our consultation on funding reform, the intention is to set a rate which would mean that deferred payments are an affordable option for people and the scheme is cost-neutral to authorities. We plan to help authorities recover their costs but they should not seek to make a profit. Our consultation welcomes evidence on all our proposals on deferred payments, including charging of interest.

Childbirth

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many births per full-time equivalent NHS midwife there have been in (a) England and (b) each region in each year since 2001.

Daniel Poulter: This information is not available for the time frame requested due to the reconfiguration of regions.
	Information on the number of births per full-time equivalent (FTE) NHS midwife is supplied by the Office of National Statistics, 2006 to 2012.
	
		
			 Number 
			 Births/FTE's census 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 
			 North East 29.4 29.2 29.4 28.9 29.5 28.9 28.1 
			 North West 27.5 28.2 29.8 29.3 30.3 30.5 30.7 
			 Yorkshire and Humber 33.3 33.4 34.7 32.6 32.2 31.7 31.9 
			 East Midlands 39.5 40.2 40.4 39.4 38.5 36.9 35.5 
			 West Midlands 32.9 33.1 33.4 32.4 32.6 33.1 31.4 
			 East of England 39.5 40.1 41.7 40.8 39.9 36.4 35.8 
			 London 37.6 38.4 37.6 37.5 35.1 33.8 33.5 
			 South East Coast — — 37.7 34.8 34.5 33.6 33.1 
			 South Central — — 41.0 40.0 40.0 39.6 40.0 
			 South East 40.3 38.8 39.3 37.2 37.1 34.4 36.2 
			 South West 31.4 32.7 33.7 30.7 31.4 32.7 33.0 
			 England 31.4 35.0 35.6 34.4 34.1 33.5 33.2 
			 Notes: 1. The numbers of Midwives FTEs Census data is often lower than the annual average. 2. There were no data available for South east coast and South centre before 2008 which was coded as one region—South East. 3. Figures are calculated on a full-time equivalent number of registered midwives. Midwife data is at 30 September each year. 4. Figures are calculated on the number of live births in England. 5. Figures are rounded to one decimal place.

Clinical Commissioning Groups

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what changes in per capita funding to the (a) NHS Sunderland Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), (b) NHS South Tyneside CCG, (c) NHS South Tees CCG, (d) NHS South Eastern Hampshire CCG, (e) NHS Eastbourne, Hailsham and Seaford CCG and (f) NHS Fareham and Gosport CCG are being proposed in the 2013-14 working paper on CCG allocations and indicative target allocations.

Daniel Poulter: The allocation per head received by the named clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) for 2013-14 is shown in the table alongside the indicative target allocation per head it would have received had NHS England chosen to adopt the funding formula proposed by the Advisory Committee on Resource Allocation.
	In the end the formula was not used; CCGs received a uniform uplift in funding and a fundamental review of allocations is being undertaken, led by NHS England. No proposals or decisions regarding allocations for 2014-15 have yet been made.
	
		
			 CCG 2013-14 Actual per head allocation (£) 2013-14 Indicative target per head allocation (£) 
			 Sunderland 1,434 1,288 
			 South Tyneside 1,438 1,314 
			 South Tees 1,319 1,259 
			 South Eastern Hampshire 1,006 1,170 
			 Eastbourne, Hailsham and Seaford 1,211 1,347 
			 Fareham and Gosport 982 1,116

Food Banks

Gavin Shuker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of GP surgeries make referrals to food banks.

Daniel Poulter: The requested information is not collected centrally.

General Practitioners

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether GP practices receive a referral payment when patients are referred to the London NHS Diagnostic Service provided by InHealth.

Daniel Poulter: This information is not held centrally.
	The hon. Member may wish to contact NHS England's London Area Team for this information.

Heart Diseases: Children

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consideration he has given to allocating funding for the screening of all children under the age of 11 years for possible heart defects.

Daniel Poulter: The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) which advises Ministers and the national health service in all four countries about all aspects of screening policy recommends screening infants for heart defects as part of the NHS Newborn and Infant Physical Examination Screening Programme (NHS NIPE). The national screening programme offers parents the opportunity to have their child examined shortly after birth and includes an examination of the baby's heart as well as a general physical examination and an examination of the baby's eyes and hips and testes in boys. As some conditions can develop later, the examination is repeated at six to eight weeks of age, usually by a general practitioner.
	In addition, as part of the NHS Foetal Anomaly Screening Programme (NHS FASP) all pregnant women in England are offered a minimum of two ultrasound scans. The first is an early scan, undertaken after eight weeks gestation; the second ultrasound scan is undertaken between 18 weeks + 0 days to 20 weeks + six days of pregnancy. The main purpose of the second scan is to look for abnormalities in the unborn baby, including serious cardiac abnormalities. This is also a UK NSC recommended programme.
	The NHS NIPE and NHS FASP are now directly commissioned by NHS England as part of the Section 7A agreement of the National Health Service Act (2006), as amended by the Health and Social Care Act (2012). It sets out the arrangements under which the Secretary of State for Health delegates to NHS England the responsibility for certain elements of Public Health functions.

Midwives

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information his Department holds on what happens to those who qualify as midwives at higher education institutions in England; and how many go on to practise as midwives in the NHS.

Daniel Poulter: The Department does not currently collect this information. Health Education England is exploring how such data might be captured at national level in the future.
	There are record numbers of midwives in training and there were 1,311 more qualified midwives (full-time equivalent) in July 2013 than in May 2010.

Midwives

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many places for midwifery training were commissioned in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and what the total population of student midwives in England has been in each year since 2009-10.

Daniel Poulter: There are record numbers of midwives in training and there were 1,311 more qualified midwives (full-time equivalent) in July 2013 than in May 2010.
	The following tables detail the midwifery training commissions for the period 2009-10 to 2013-14 and the annual population of student midwives from 2009-10 to 2012-13. The 2013-14 midwifery student population is not yet available. Both tables include students enrolled on the degree and 18 month diploma courses.
	
		
			  Total midwife commissions 
			 2009-10 2,482 
			 2010-11 2,488 
			 2011-12 2,484 
			 2012-13 2,578 
			 2013-14 2,563 
			 Source: Multi professional education and training budget monitoring returns 
		
	
	
		
			  Midwife population 
			 2009-10 5,567 
			 2010-11 5,644 
			 2011-12 5,955 
			 2012-13 6,315 
			 Source: Multi professional education and training budget monitoring returns

Midwives

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average cost was of training a midwife in the latest period for which figures are available.

Daniel Poulter: There are record numbers of midwives in training and there were 1,311 more qualified midwives (full-time equivalent) in July 2013 than in May 2010.
	We are not able to provide information on the total cost of training student midwives, as the Department does not monitor training spend to this level of granularity. The Department does however collect information on the average bursaries, benchmark price paid for tuition and levels of commissions for midwifery training places.
	The number of midwifery students who held a bursary, the average bursary paid to those students and the total cost of all bursaries paid to student midwives in 2012-13 can be found in the following table:
	
		
			  Number of bursary holders(1) Average amount paid per bursary holder(2) (£) Total amount paid (£) 
			 2012-13 5,448 6,121 33,344,511 
			 (1) Includes nil award holders (European Union fees only students and students whose living allowance element of the bursary has been reduced to nil after income assessment). (2) Includes the basic award and all supplementary allowances and one-off payments. Source: NHS Business Services Authority 
		
	
	The tuition costs for midwifery degree and diploma students are paid based on the national benchmark price. The benchmark price for both midwifery degree and diploma courses in 2012-13 are shown in the following table:
	
		
			 2012-13 
			  £ 
			 Standard 9,374 
			 Outer London 9,842 
			 Inner London 10,123 
		
	
	In addition to the above costs, most midwifery degree students will also be eligible for a student loan. This loan is provided by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	As part of their training student midwives undertake placements with health care providers. In 2012-13 some funding would have been paid to support these placements, but these data are not held centrally. The Government introduced tariffs for these placements from 1 April 2013. Once fully implemented the tariff will be £3,175.
	There are several other ways midwives can be trained and where an existing national health service employee is seconded on to a midwifery programme, the student would be entitled to a salary, rather than student support. These salary costs are not collected centrally.

Midwives

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many student midwives were in receipt of a bursary in each of the last three academic years for which figures are available; what the average bursary paid to a student midwife was in each of those years; and what the total cost was to his Department in each year of bursaries paid to student midwives.

Daniel Poulter: There are record numbers of midwives in training and there were 1,311 more qualified midwives (full-time equivalent) in July 2013 than in May 2010.
	The number of midwifery students who were in receipt of a bursary, the average bursary paid to those students and the total cost of all bursaries paid to student midwives in each of the last three academic years can be found in the following table:
	
		
			   £ 
			  Number of bursary holders(1) Average amount paid per bursary holder(2) Total amount paid(2) 
			 2010-11 5,218 5,722 29,854,947 
			 2011-12 5,345 5,867 31,358,058 
			 2012-13 5,448 6,121 33,344,511 
			 (1) Includes nil award holders (European Union fees only students and students whose living allowance element of the bursary has been reduced to nil after income assessment). (2) Includes the basic award and all supplementary allowances and one off payments. Note: All figures are rounded to the nearest pound. Source: NHS Business Services Authority.

Muscular Dystrophy: East Midlands

Andrew Bridgen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to ensure long-term security of the neuromuscular care adviser post in the East Midlands; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to ensure long-term security of the neuromuscular care advisor post in the East Midlands; and if he will make a statement.

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to ensure the long-term security of the neuromuscular care adviser post in the East Midlands; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Lamb: NHS England is responsible for commissioning specialised services, including neuromuscular services.
	NHS England published the service specification ‘Neurosciences: Specialised Neurology (Adult)’ in July 2013. The service specification for neurosciences describes the service commissioned by NHS England for patients, of any age, with a neuromuscular disorder and details that the care is provided:
	“via a managed clinical pathway that supports multidisciplinary and cross organisational working.”
	This multi-disciplinary team includes neuromuscular care coordinators and it is NHS England's expectation that this service will be provided in full.
	The service specification has been implemented from 1 October 2013 and NHS England is working with providers to ensure they are compliant with the service description and standards contained within them.

Organs: Donors

Glyn Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the potential value of educating school age children about organ donation and transplantation.

Jane Ellison: The NHS Blood and Transplant's Organ Donation strategy, ‘Taking Organ Transplantation to 2020’, highlights the important potential to educate school age children about organ donation and transplantation.
	A free teaching resource pack called ‘Give and Let Live’ has been developed and is available to teachers. The pack includes a teachers' booklet, case studies and background information about the need for donors, and sits alongside other programmes including ‘Register and Be a Lifesaver’.

Perinatal Mortality

Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will consider standardising information regarding warning signs of foetal distress and issue national guidance on preventing infant mortality;
	(2)  whether he plans to review current practices on the monitoring of foetal growth and development in the third trimester of pregnancy;
	(3)  what steps he is taking to reduce infant mortality.

Daniel Poulter: We have made reducing infant mortality an area of improvement for the national health service in the NHS Outcomes Framework. Reducing infant mortality is also highlighted as an outcome indicator in the Public Health Outcomes Framework.
	The Department is working with Sands, the Royal College of Midwives and other key partners to agree standardised information to raise awareness of the risk factors and warning signs for stillbirth.
	MBRRACE-UK, Mothers and Babies—Reducing Risk through Audits and Confidential Enquiries across the United Kingdom, has been appointed to continue the national programme of work investigating maternal deaths, stillbirths and infant deaths. They aim to identify what went wrong and why and will make national recommendation on how care can be improved for all mothers and babies.
	There are no current plans to review current practises on the monitoring of foetal growth and development in the third trimester of pregnancy.
	The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) advises Ministers and the NHS in all four countries about all aspects of screening policy and supports implementation. Using research evidence, pilot programmes and economic evaluation, it assesses the evidence for programmes against a set of internationally recognised criteria.
	Where stakeholder organisations or individuals feel that there is enough evidence published in peer reviewed journals to consider screening for a condition in the third trimester of pregnancy they can submit a policy proposal to the UK NSC. Information for the public on the process is available on the UK NSC's website at:
	www.screening.nhs.uk/policyreview
	We want to improve all children's chances in life by giving families the help they need to keep their children healthy and safe. The Healthy Child Programme, led and delivered by health visitors and their teams, is the key universal NHS programme for the health and well-being of children, and sets out reviews, screening, and support which aim to reduce cot death, prevent ill health and to identify and treat problems early.

Radiotherapy

Tessa Munt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps NHS England plans to take to ensure that cancer centres delivering stereotactic ablative radiotherapy do not fall below the critical mass treatment levels needed to ensure optimum outcomes and patient safety;
	(2)  what plans NHS England has to reconfigure radiotherapy services to improve clinical outcomes; and which regions it considers a priority for such reconfiguration;
	(3)  what assessment NHS England has made of over provision of radiotherapy services in England; and in which regions NHS England is considering placing restrictions on radiotherapy services;
	(4)  what steps NHS England plans to take to ensure that there is a reasonable geographical distribution of radiosurgery provision across England;
	(5)  whether NHS England is mandated to ensure that patients needing radiotherapy and radiosurgery do not have to travel for more than 45 minutes to receive their treatment.

Jane Ellison: NHS England commissions stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) for certain presentations of non-small cell lung cancer only where the clinical community have agreed there is sufficient evidence of its benefit. From April 2013, commissioned centres providing this service are required by NHS England to demonstrate they serve a sufficiently large catchment area which allows them to carry out a minimum of 25 patients each year to maintain expertise. NHS England will monitor centres against this requirement.
	NHS England is committed to equitable access for all patients requiring radiotherapy in England and will not be placing restrictions on any specific populations. A review of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for intracranial conditions is currently under way and is expected to be complete by the end of the year and a review of other radiotherapy techniques is planned to follow. These service driven projects will include all regions of England and will be used to inform future NHS England radiotherapy planning and ensure a reasonable geographical distribution of SRS services across England.
	NHS England has no national plans to reconfigure radiotherapy services, although for intensity modulated radiotherapy there is commissioner driven expansion taking place to improve access. The application of the SABR policy and the outcomes of the reviews of SRS and other radiotherapy techniques will be used to inform future planning.
	NHS England is not mandated to make sure that all patients needing radiotherapy and radiosurgery do not have to travel more than 45 minutes for their treatment but are mindful of the recommendation of the National Radiotherapy Advisory Group that the majority of patients should have travel times lower than this. NHS England will work with radiotherapy centres to make sure existing equipment is being used effectively, clinical expertise is available and travel times are kept to a minimum.

South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for which quarters since May 2010 has the South Tees NHS Foundation Trust failed to meet its referral treatment target.

Daniel Poulter: Data are collected by NHS England on a monthly basis.
	Since May 2010, the South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has failed to meet the operational standard that 90% of admitted patients should start treatment within a maximum of 18 weeks of referral on seven occasions: in July 2012 and between March 2013 and August 2013.

South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what conversations he and his Ministerial colleagues have had with (a) Monitor and (b) the South Tees NHS Foundation Trust about (i) the Trust's failure to meet its target of treating 90 per cent of patients within 18 weeks of them being referred, (ii) the increase in reported never events at the Trust and (iii) the incidence of clostridium dificile infection at the Trust.

Jane Ellison: No such discussions have taken place with Ministers.

Telephone Services

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what geographic telephone number his Department advertises for use by the general public.

Daniel Poulter: The geographic telephone number for the Department is 020 7210 4850. This is published on the Department's section of the Gov.uk website and is available at the following link:
	www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-of-health

Tobacco: Packaging

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will make a decision on whether to introduce standardised packaging on tobacco products.

Jane Ellison: The Government has decided to wait before making a decision on standardised packaging. This policy remains under active consideration.

Torrington Hospital

Geoffrey Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what recent guidance his Department has issued to NHS trusts on the closure of community hospitals;
	(2)  what recourse is available to challenge the decision of Northern Devon Health Care NHS Trust to eliminate in-patient beds from Great Torrington Community Hospital;
	(3)  if he will review the Northern Devon Health Care NHS Trust's decision to eliminate all in-patient beds from Great Torrington Community Hospital.

Jane Ellison: The reconfiguration of local services is a matter for the local national health service. All service changes should be led by clinicians and be in the best interests of patients, not driven from the top down.
	We expect there to be a rigorous local assessment of any proposals to close or downgrade hospital services against the four criteria announced in May 2010 by the Secretary of State. These four tests set out that local plans must demonstrate:
	support from general practice commissioners;
	strengthened public and patient engagement;
	clarity on the clinical evidence base; and
	support for patient choice.
	NHS organisations are legally required to consult local authority Overview and Scrutiny Committees (OSCs) on proposed changes to health services which are considered, by an OSC, to constitute a substantial variation or substantial development to a health service. If an OSC is not satisfied with the consultation process or believes that the proposed changes are not in the interests of local health services, it may refer the scheme to the Secretary of State.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Anti-Slavery Day

Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what each Minister in his Department will be doing to acknowledge Anti-Slavery Day on 18 October 2013; and if he will make a statement.

Brandon Lewis: On 18 October, the Inter-Departmental Ministerial Group on Human Trafficking published its second annual report. This builds on the first report and provides an assessment of human trafficking in the UK and the steps being taken by Government to strengthen its response to this terrible crime. The report can be accessed at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/human-trafficking-inter-departmental-ministerial-group-report-2013

Bellwin Scheme

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many local authorities have successfully applied for monies through the Bellwin scheme in each of the last five years; and if he will list the local authorities and the total sum of their individual grants.

Brandon Lewis: Bellwin provides emergency financial assistance to local authorities to help them meet uninsurable costs they incur when responding to a major emergency in their area. The level of funding over time is causally linked to the scale of flooding or other emergency. It operates by local authorities retrospectively claiming spending back.
	The following table sets out the local authorities who have successfully applied for monies through the Bellwin scheme in each of the last five years and the total sum of their individual grants.
	
		
			 Bellwin Payments 2009-10 to 2013-14 
			 Year of payment Local authority Grant paid (£) 
			 2009-10 Castle Morpeth Borough Council 24,452 
		
	
	
		
			  Eden District Council 2,281 
			  Herefordshire Council 607,872 
			  Shropshire County Council 710,061 
			 Total for year  1,344,666 
			    
			 2010-11 Allerdale Borough Council South 302,847 
			  Cumbria County Council 408,297 
			  Cumbria Police Authority 148,049 
			  Lakeland District Council 30,348 
			 Total for year  889,541 
			    
			 2011-12  0 
			 Total for year  0 
			    
			 2012-13 Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council 76,668 
			  City of Lincoln 24,870 
			  Gateshead Council 393,939 
			  Herefordshire Council 218,499 
			  Royal Berkshire Fire Authority 404,640 
			 Total for year  1,118,616 
			    
			 2013-14 (to date) Devon County Council 3,023,598 
			  Herefordshire Council 2,048,963 
			  Richmondshire District Council 915 
			  Newark and Sherwood District Council 3,407 
			  Teignbridge District Council 38,234 
			  Uttlesford District Council 16,643 
			 Total for year  5,131,760 
			    
			 Total over last five years  8,484,583 
			 Note: Payments may not necessarily be in the same financial year as the incidents occurred. The amount claimed is net of threshold and grant rate.

Community Assets Programme

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many community nominations under the Localism Act 2013 to include local authority land as areas of community value have been (a) made and (b) successful in (i) Ribble Valley constituency, (ii) Lancashire and (iii) the UK since that Act's implementation.

Stephen Williams: The Department does not formally collate information nationally on the number of nominations or on the number of assets successfully or unsuccessfully listed. Local authorities are responsible for keeping and managing a list which contains information on their assets of community value. However, I am aware that since this scheme came into force in England on 21 September 2012 at least 556 assets of community value have been accepted for listing by local authorities. However, this is not a comprehensive figure.

Housing Associations: Complaints

Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans he has to allow the public to take complaints about Housing Associations and their tenants to the Housing Ombudsman.

Kris Hopkins: Only tenants and leaseholders of housing associations, local authorities and other member landlords can pursue a complaint with the Housing Ombudsman, but in the overwhelming majority of cases it is they who are affected by the actions of a social landlord. There are no plans to extend the Housing Ombudsman's remit to include investigating complaints from members of the wider public.
	Complaints from the general public against housing associations are likely to focus on antisocial behaviour. The Anti-Social Behaviour Bill includes provisions for a 'community trigger' which will give victims and communities the right to demand that agencies who have ignored repeated complaints about antisocial behaviour take action.

Prefabricated Housing

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will investigate modern prefabricated building methods such as the Insulshell system as a way of providing high quality, well-designed houses quickly and cheaply.

Kris Hopkins: The Government is keen to encourage innovation to improve the speed and quality of house building.
	Government commissioned an industry led off-site housing review report which was published in February and is available on the Construction Industry Council's website:
	http://www.cic.org.uk/news/article.php?s=2013-02-28-cic-presents-housing-minister-with-offsite-housing-review-report
	In July the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills published its Construction 2025 Strategy which also encourages innovation in the construction industry more generally:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/construction-2025-strategy
	Government will continue to work with industry to unlock potential in this area

Private Rented Housing

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he has recently met representatives of private landlords; and if he will make a statement.

Kris Hopkins: Details of Ministers' meetings with external organisations are published on a quarterly basis and are available at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-communities-and-local-government/series/dclg-ministerial-data
	Officials meet regularly with the National Landlords' Association, the Residential Landlords' Association, and the British Property Federation. We will continue to work with landlord bodies as we take forward the measures announced in the written ministerial statement on the private rented sector made by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, on 16 October 2013, Official Report, columns 57-59WS.

Sleeping Rough: Veterans

Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the proportion of those individuals sleeping rough who are former members of the armed forces.

Kris Hopkins: Data collected by homeless charity Broadway (CHAIN) reports that 3% (145) of rough sleepers in London have experience of serving in the UK armed forces.
	This Government is committed to preventing and tackling homelessness and protecting the most vulnerable including former members of our armed forces. We have invested £470 million over the spending review period for homelessness prevention.
	We are determined to ensure that current and former members of the armed forces gain the housing they deserve, recognising the sacrifices they have made for the country. We have, therefore, introduced measures to place members of the armed forces at the top of the priority list for home ownership schemes, including the Help to Buy: Equity Loan.
	We have changed the law by regulation so that former personnel with urgent housing needs are always given 'additional preference' (high priority) for social housing; and councils are prevented from applying local connection requirements to disqualify members of the armed forces and those within five years of leaving the services from their waiting list. The qualification regulations came into force on 24 August 2012; the additional preference regulations on 30 November 2012.
	Our statutory social allocations guidance sets out how councils' allocation schemes can give priority to all service families, including through the use of local preference criteria and local lettings policies.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Air Pollution: Gloucestershire

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he is taking to reduce pollution levels at the Air Balloon Pub and surrounding cottages.

Dan Rogerson: Following its duties under the Environment Act 1995, Cotswold district council, with the Highways Agency as a major partner, is implementing an Air Quality Action Plan. This includes measures to improve air quality at the Air Balloon Roundabout junction, where the Air Balloon Pub and surrounding cottages are situated. The Highways Agency has installed CCTV along the route and operates regular incident response patrols to help keep the traffic flowing in the congested parts of the area. Improvements in rail capacity on the Swindon Gloucester rail link are also expected to increase the capacity of the rail and encourage the use of alternative forms of transport to reduce traffic flows at the Air Balloon Roundabout. This work is scheduled to be completed in spring 2014. The Highways Agency and the local authority continue to investigate other actions to reduce congestion and improve air quality at this location.
	Nationally the Government is committed to improving air quality and has invested nearly £100 million in Green Bus measures and £1 billion in measures to promote ultra-low emission vehicles. These measures will help to reduce pollution from traffic across the UK. The Government will continue to work with local authorities and others to identify measures to improve air quality.

Animal Welfare: Circuses

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the cost to the circus industry of complying with the licensing scheme under the Welfare of Wild Animals in Travelling Circuses Regulations 2012.

George Eustice: The final impact assessment that accompanied the Regulations sets out the likely costs to the circus industry and can be viewed at:
	(Table 1)
	http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukia/2012/318/pdfs/ukia_20120318_en.pdf
	The assessment at that time was that there would be total one-off costs of £27,592 and annual costs of £15,568.

Biofuels

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what information his Department holds on how much the EU has spent on (a) the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification Scheme, (b) the Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels and (c) other sustainability schemes to encourage sustainable business practices.

Dan Rogerson: DEFRA does not hold the information requested.

Biofuels

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the cost of the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification Sustainability Scheme to businesses in rural areas.

Dan Rogerson: DEFRA has not made any such estimate.

Bovine Tuberculosis

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will place in the Library evidence from his Department's vaccination programme in Woodchester Park of changes in the population over the last 12 months.

George Eustice: holding answer 17 October 2013
	There is no vaccination programme at Woodchester Park, which is the site of a long-term study of wild badgers. The Badger Vaccine Deployment Project (BVDP), which is managed by staff from Woodchester Park, takes place over a different area near Stroud. The aim of the BVDP is to learn more about the practicalities of deploying an injectable badger vaccine against bovine TB. Badgers in the BVDP are trapped and vaccinated then released without being permanently marked, and no attempt is made to estimate the population size.

Bovine Tuberculosis

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will adopt new success criteria for future badger culls based on a lower percentage of badgers culled and a longer timeframe than six weeks for the period of culling.

George Eustice: We will not pre-empt the report of the Independent Expert Panel, who will analyse the information collected on the effectiveness, humaneness and safety of controlled shooting during the pilots. This and other experience gained in the pilots will inform the decision on wider roll-out of the policy.

Bovine Tuberculosis

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he has taken to ensure badger culls are compliant with the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats.

George Eustice: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the hon. Member for Somerton and Frome (Mr Heath) on 12 June 2013, Official Report, column 348W.
	The Bern Convention secretariat is content that the culls will not endanger the national badger population.

Bovine Tuberculosis

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether any extension of the time period for badger culls to occur will (a) alter the recommendations of the Independent Scientific Review Group, (b) affect the scientific validity of the cull and (c) be a decision to be taken by (i) Natural England and (ii) the Independent Expert Panel and (iii) another body.

George Eustice: Any extension to the culls will not affect the panel's ability to advise on the safety, humaneness and effectiveness of controlled shooting during the pilots nor the validity of their advice.
	In relation to the decision to extend, I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 21 October 2013, Official Report, column 53W.

Bovine Tuberculosis

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he is taking to ensure that any future badger cull (a) will be compliant with the Bern Convention and (b) will ensure the correct number of badgers are culled to reduce TB.

George Eustice: I refer the hon. Member to the answer by the hon. Member for Somerton and Frome (Mr Heath) on 12 June 2013, Official Report, column 348W.
	The Bern Convention secretariat is content that the badger control policy will not endanger the national badger population.
	All wildlife population estimates have some degree of uncertainty around them. A number of steps were taken to audit the process including data checks and a number of internal and independent audits. Further analysis, including the findings of the Independent Expert Panel, will allow us to learn lessons about the methodology.
	When looking at lessons learnt in the pilots, we will look at how the efficacy of culling could be best assessed in the future. Assessments will be made each year to ensure a sufficient reduction in the population.

Bovine Tuberculosis: South West

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he received the latest official estimates of the badger population in (a) Somerset and (b) Gloucester.

George Eustice: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 18 October 2013, Official Report, column 889W, which included advice from DEFRA's chief scientific adviser on the number of badgers in the pilot cull areas of Somerset and Gloucestershire. This advice is dated 3 October 2013.

Climate Change: Agriculture

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment his Department has made of whether the 0.8 degree Celsius rise in the earth's temperature since 1900 has adversely affected agriculture in the UK.

Dan Rogerson: The UK Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA) published by DEFRA in January 2012 identified several risks to the agriculture sector, including increased risk of flooding of agricultural land and increased risk of nutrient runoff from agricultural land, which may affect local water quality. It also identified several opportunities such as higher yields of certain crops grown in the UK such as wheat and sugar beet.
	To address these risks DEFRA published the UK's first National Adaptation Programme (NAP) report in July this year, which sets out a range of actions to increase the resilience of the agriculture sector and harness the opportunities.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Animal Experiments: Scotland

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many regulated procedures conducted in Scotland under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 involved (a) mice, (b) rats, (c) guinea pigs, (d) hamsters, (e) rabbits, (f) horses and other equids, (g) sheep, (h) pigs, (i) birds, (j) amphibians, (k) reptiles, (l) fish, (m) cats, (n) dogs, (o) New World primates and (p) Old World primates in 2012; and how many such procedures involved (i) genetically modified animals and (ii) animals with a harmful genetic defect;
	(2)  what proportion of procedures regulated under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 and carried out in Scotland in 2012 were conducted without anaesthesia;
	(3)  what proportion of regulated procedures conducted in Scotland in 2012 under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 were carried out for (a) fundamental and applied studies other than toxicity and (b) toxicity tests or other safety and efficacy evaluation;
	(4)  how many animals were used in regulated procedures under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 in Scotland in 2012;
	(5)  how many (a) mice, (b) rats, (c) guinea pigs, (d) hamsters, (e) rabbits, (f) horses and other equids, (g) sheep, (h) pigs, (i) birds, (j) amphibians, (k) reptiles, (l) fish, (m) cats, (n) dogs, (o) New World primates and (p) Old World primates were used in regulated procedures conducted in Scotland under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 in 2012;
	(6)  how many regulated procedures were carried out in Scotland under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 in 2012;
	(7)  how many (a) genetically-modified animals and (b) animals with a harmful genetic defect were used in regulated procedures conducted in Scotland in 2012 under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.

James Brokenshire: During 2012, in Scotland, there were 361,279 procedures using mice, 35,199 using rats, 1,317 using guinea pigs, 752 using hamsters, 3,759 using rabbits, 1,712 using horses and other equids, 7,125 using sheep, 524 using pigs, 14,478 using birds, 1,572 using amphibians, none using reptiles, 201,337 using fish, two using cats, 579 using dogs, none using new world primates and 578 using old world primates used in regulated procedures started under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. During 2012, in Scotland, a total of 632,999 regulated procedures were started under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, of which 285,460 involved genetically modified animals and 12,804 involved animals with a harmful genetic mutation.
	There were a total of 632,999 regulated procedures started under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 in Scotland in 2012 of which 391,819 (62%) used no form of anaesthesia.
	During 2012, in Scotland, the number of regulated procedures started for non-toxicological purposes under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 was 570,921 (90%), and 62,078 (10%) were started for toxicological purposes.
	During 2012, in Scotland, a total of 623,194 animals were used in regulated procedures started under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.
	During 2012, in Scotland, 360,382 mice, 35,173 rats, 1,317 guinea pigs, 752 hamsters, 1,889 rabbits, 12 horses and other equids, 4,146 sheep, 524 pigs, 14,312 birds, 235 amphibians, no reptiles, 201,247 fish, two cats, 507 dogs, no new world primates and 477 old world primates were used in regulated procedures started under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.
	The number of regulated procedures started under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 in Scotland in 2012 was 632,999.
	During 2012, in Scotland, a total of 623,194 animals were used in regulated procedures started under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, of which 284,592 were genetically modified and 12,804 were animals with a harmful genetic mutation.

Firearms: Crime

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offences involving illegal firearms were committed in (a) Liverpool, (b) Merseyside and (c) England in each of the last 10 years.

James Brokenshire: The information requested is not available from the police recorded crime data collected by the Home Office. While the Home Office does hold data on the number of offences involving firearms, from these data it is not possible to tell whether the firearm was legally or illegally held.

Firearms: Licensing

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been refused firearms licenses by each police force as a result of substantiated evidence of a history of (a) domestic violence, (b) violent conduct and (c) drug or alcohol abuse in each of the last 10 years.

James Brokenshire: holding answer 18 October 2013
	Information recorded by the police on the National Firearms Licensing Management System on the reasons why an application is refused is not mandatory and is determined by individual forces' processes. Therefore the data captured are incomplete and will differ between forces.

Hillsborough Independent Panel

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the letter from the Minister of State for Policing and Criminal Justice to the hon. Member for Liverpool, Walton, dated 4 October 2013, which Minister in her Department takes direct ministerial responsibility for investigations into the Hillsborough disaster.

Theresa May: As the Secretary of State for the Home Department, I take ministerial responsibility for investigations into the Hillsborough disaster.

Hillsborough Independent Panel

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what dates she has visited the Independent Police Complaints Commission's Hillsborough investigations headquarters.

Theresa May: holding answer 21 October 2013
	I have not yet visited, but intend to visit soon, Renaissance House in Warrington, headquarters of the two independent investigations into the Hillsborough disaster. I am regularly updated on progress.

Police: Widowed People

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many widows and widowers applied for a discretionary payment under the Police Survivor Support scheme;
	(2)  if she will provide a breakdown of successful applicants to the Police Survivor Support scheme from each region of the UK;
	(3)  for what reasons the Police Survivor Support scheme was time-limited;
	(4)  how many applications were received by the Police Survivor Support scheme after the closing date; and how many such applicants received a discretionary payment;
	(5)  how many applicants received the maximum amount payable under the Police Survivor Support scheme.

James Brokenshire: holding answer 21 October 2013
	The Police Survivor Support Scheme was launched under the previous Government in February 2010, with funding limited to 31 March 2011. Under the scheme awards were decided and administered by an independent charity, the Police Dependants' Trust (PDT). Funding for the scheme was provided by the Home Office in respect of beneficiaries in England and Wales, with the devolved Administrations funding parallel arrangements in respect of Scotland and Northern Ireland.
	The Home Office does not hold a record of the total number of applications made to the PDT under the scheme. In respect of England and Wales, there were 31 successful applicants, 28 of whom were awarded the maximum award of £20,000.
	The Home Office does not hold a record of the total number of awards made in respect of beneficiaries from Northern Ireland and Scotland. Neither does the Home Office have any record of how many applications were received by the PDT after the scheme ended.

Stop and Search

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans she has to increase the use of police stop and search powers.

James Brokenshire: The use of police stop and search powers is an operational matter for the chief constable of each police force. The Government is clear that these powers must be used fairly and lawfully.
	This is why we launched a public consultation on the powers of stop and search, focused on the themes of effectiveness, fairness, reducing bureaucracy and the protection of individual freedoms.
	An analysis of the consultation and Government response will be published by the end of the year.

Stun Guns: Young People

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times tasers were used on under 18s in (a) England and (b) each London borough in each of the last five years.

James Brokenshire: holding answer 21 October 2013
	The latest available figures for the number of taser uses (drawn, aimed, red dotted, arced, fired, drive stun and angle drive stun) on under-18s in England are:
	
		
			  Number 
			 2007 29 
			 2008 71 
			 2009 135 
			 2010 339 
			 2011 323 
		
	
	The information provided is that which is held on the Home Office database as this can be broken down by age. This data comes from taser forms submitted by police forces to the Home Office. The information for 2010 to 2011 is not directly comparable to the recent Home Office taser statistics for the same time period, published on 10 September. These Home Office taser statistics were drawn from a separate collection of aggregate figures which were obtained directly from police forces. This separate collection was instigated as the information on the database was deemed not of a quality suitable for publication this particular year.
	The Home Office does not hold data on the number of times a Taser was used on under-18s in each London borough.

Telephone Services

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what geographic telephone number her Department advertises for use by the general public.

James Brokenshire: The telephone number advertised to the public for the Home Office is 0207 035 4848.

TREASURY

Air Passenger Duty

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received about waiving airport tax for charities.

Nicky Morgan: Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings and discussions with a wide variety of organisations as part of the process of policy development and delivery.
	The Treasury publishes a list of ministerial meetings with external organisations, available at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-treasury/series/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel

Armed Forces: Housing

Derek Twigg: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to make necessary home adaptations for wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans exempt from VAT.

David Gauke: There are a number of existing zero rates of VAT for chronically sick or disabled persons, which benefit wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans. These VAT reliefs include adaptations to private residences to facilitate entry, moving around, and necessary bathing, washing and lavatory needs. The application of VAT throughout the EU is governed by agreements between the UK and its EU partners. Under these agreements, we are allowed to keep our existing VAT reliefs but may not extend their scope or introduce new ones.

Infrastructure

Ann McKechin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what value of projects have been guaranteed by the UK Guarantees scheme to date; and in which (a) sector and (b) geographic area each funded project is based.

Danny Alexander: holding answer 21 October 2013
	I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement I have issued today.

Minimum Wage

William Bain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many prosecutions relating to enforcement of the minimum wage were pursued in each of the last four years; and in which parliamentary constituencies the complaints leading to those cases arose.

David Gauke: The Government takes the enforcement of NMW very seriously and HMRC review every complaint that is referred to them, investigating the complaint and, in addition, carrying out targeted enforcement where we identify a high risk of non-payment of NMW.
	There have been two successful criminal prosecutions pursued in the last four years, both under this Government.
	HMRC does not keep statistics at constituency level, but the location of the employers is included in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of prosecutions Employer location 
			 2009-10 0 — 
			 2010-11 1 Liverpool 
			 2011-12 0 — 
			 2012-13 1 London 
		
	
	The value of penalties charged for the four years is as follows:
	
		
			  Penalties charged 
			 Financial year Number Value (£) 
			 2009-10 381 111,183 
			 2010-11 934 520,568 
			 2011-12 906 766,807 
			 2012-13 647 709,136 
		
	
	The value of penalties charged has increased by 41% between 2012-13 and 2009-10.

Mobile Phones

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many smartphone apps his Department has launched.

Nicky Morgan: HM Treasury has not launched any smartphone apps.

Mobile Phones: Radio Frequencies

Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what proportion of the £22.5 billion raised in the 3G auction in 2000 have mobile networks claimed back in tax relief;
	(2)  what the net receipt to the public purse was of the £22.5 billion raised in the 3G auction in 2000 from the mobile networks, taking into account the aggregate tax relief claimed in 2000 or subsequent years.

David Gauke: The amount of tax relief claimed in respect of 3G licenses will depend on the circumstances of each company. Quantifying the amount of tax relief claimed (and as a result the net Exchequer receipts) in respect of 3G licences would require HMRC to analyse the tax returns of each of the affected businesses and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

National Insurance Contributions

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much the upper earnings limit would need to be increased to enable only those earning less than (a) £10,000 and (b) £12,500 to be exempted from paying employees' national insurance contributions for that change to be revenue-neutral.

David Gauke: The costs of increasing the primary threshold for employees' national insurance contributions to £10,000 and £12,500 from its £7,755 annual value in 2013-14 may be approximated from HMRC's Table 1.6 “Direct effects of illustrative changes”:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/statistics/expenditures/table1-6.pdf
	Table 1.6 shows that a £2 per week/£104 per year increase in the primary threshold would cost £240 million, suggesting the costs of raising the primary threshold to £10,000 and £12,500 may be around £5 billion and around £11 billion respectively.
	Table 1.6 also shows that a £520 increase in the annual employee upper earnings limit yields around £170 million. Very large increases in the upper earnings limit would therefore be required to generate equivalent savings. However, reliable estimates of the changes required, taking account of the likely significant behavioural responses, are not available.
	Increasing the primary threshold to an annual value of £10,000 or £12,500 would not take all employees with annual earnings below these levels out of employee NICs. This is because employee contributions arise separately in each pay period, for example weekly, whenever earnings exceed the equivalent pay period employee threshold.

Revenue and Customs

Jessica Morden: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average response time was to answer the Taxes Helpline on 0845 3000627 in the last six months for which figures are available; what the length was of the longest response time; and how many complaints about telephone response times for the helpline have been made in that period.

David Gauke: holding answer 17 October 2013
	It is not possible to disaggregate information relating to the Taxes Helpline on 0845 3000627 from other HMRC helpline telephone numbers.

Statutory Sick Pay

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 11 June 2013, Official Report, columns 227-8W, on statutory sick pay, when he plans to consult on implementation of targeted tax relief on amounts of up to £500 paid by employers on health-related intervention recommended by the Health and Work Advisory Service.

David Gauke: An informal consultation on the income tax exemption for health-related interventions recommended by the Health and Work Service (HWS) ran from 21 June to 16 August 2013. The consultation document was published on the GOV.UK website.(1) Government officials also met with external stakeholders on 30 August. The Government is currently considering the consultation responses and will set out further details at autumn statement.
	(1) “Implementation of a tax exemption for employer expenditure on health-related interventions recommended by the new health and work assessment and advisory service”
	https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/implementation-of-a-tax-exemption-for-employer-expenditure-on-health-related-interventions-recommended-by-the-new-health-and-work-assessment-and-advis

Tax Allowances: Social Enterprises

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 18 June 2013, Official Report, column 940W, on tax allowances: social enterprises, when he plans to set out the outcome of the consultation on the social investment tax relief.

David Gauke: I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement I issued on 17 October 2013, Official Report, column 63WS.

Tax Evasion

Michael Meacher: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reason HM Revenue and Customs did not take action in response to the 400-gigabyte cache of data regarding offshore tax evasion which was leaked by a whistle blower in 2009 at the time of its leaking.

David Gauke: HMRC has been continually working on this data since it was received in 2009 and investigations have been undertaken and will continue to be undertaken as a result. HMRC is also working with international partners using the data to drive forward its strategy to tackle Offshore Tax Evasion where offshore corporate and trust structures have been used to hide wealth. The approach by HMRC supports the global agenda for increasing tax transparency.

VAT

Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect on the competitiveness of small companies and start-ups of the simplified import VAT accounting scheme approval criteria.

David Gauke: holding answer 8 October 2013
	HMRC consider that the scheme criteria provide a level playing field for all traders.

VAT

Helen Goodman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the VAT revenue accruing to the Exchequer from online advertising in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13.

David Gauke: No estimate has been made of the VAT revenue from online advertising.

DEFENCE

Afghanistan

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  pursuant to the answer of 14 October 2013, Official Report, column 479W, on Afghanistan, whether his Department has any plans to publish or disclose the review currently being conducted by the Chief of the Defence Staff into the findings of the US report of security at Camp Bastion;
	(2)  when the Chief of Defence Staff will finish reviewing the findings of the US report on the review of security at Camp Bastion.

Mark Francois: I will write to the hon. Member with the information he has requested.

Armed Forces: Housing

Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what guidance his Department provides to wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans about VAT exemptions for necessary home adaptations.

Anna Soubry: The Department prides itself in the care that it takes of those who are serving in the armed forces and, through injury or illness, consequently require home adaptation. In these instances the necessary work is fully funded by the MOD. This facility is also available to mobilised and full time reserve service personnel. In the event that a medical discharge date is offered, the relevant NHS body will be responsible for funding any remaining adaptation costs from the individual's last day of service. There is accordingly no requirement for an individual to be concerned about VAT.
	If a veteran is having a house adapted, having become disabled since leaving service due to injuries attributable to that service, they have access to the SPVA Veterans Welfare Service. SPVA personnel are able to direct veterans to Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs, where necessary guidance on VAT exemption is available.

Armed Forces: Young People

Russell Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what proportion of Army personnel currently serving (a) as officers and (b) in other ranks were aged under 18 at enlistment;
	(2)  what proportion of Army personnel at each rank of officer and above were aged under 18 when they enlisted.

Mark Francois: As at 1 September 2013, 1.1% of Direct Entry Officers and 35.1% of soldiers were aged under 18 on enlistment.
	As at 1 September 2013, the proportion of Direct Entry Officers at each rank who were aged under 18 on enlistment is as follows:
	
		
			  Percentage 
			 Subaltern 2.4 
			 Captain 2.4 
			 Major (1)— 
			 Lieutenant Colonel (1)— 
			 Colonel (1)— 
			 Brigadier 0.0 
			 Major General 0.0 
			 Lieutenant General and above (1)— 
			 (1) Denotes where fewer than five Direct Entry Officers of that rank were under 18 years of age on enlistment.

Armed Forces: Young People

Russell Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of Army personnel promoted to each rank of officer and above in the last 10 years enlisted as junior entrant soldiers.

Mark Francois: This information is not held.

Devonport Dockyard and Clyde Naval Base

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions code A and code B nuclear incidents have occurred at (a) HM Naval Base Devonport and (b) HM Naval Base Clyde; and what happened in each case in each of the last five years.

Philip Dunne: holding answer 14 October 2013
	Her Majesty's Naval Base (HMNB) Devonport uses a system that classifies nuclear events according to event consequence, with code A being the most severe and D the least severe. The definition of a code A event is a:
	“major impact on safety, environment, or operation and there is no dispute that a detailed investigation will be required.”
	The definition of a code B event is:
	“significant impact or potential for significant impact on safety or regulatory compliance. Investigation would be required to maintain compliance. Includes Health and Safety Executive reportable events.”
	There have been no code A and five code B nuclear events at HMNB Devonport in the last five years.
	The following table summarises the code B events:
	
		
			  Event 
			 2008 The primary plant discharge hose between the submarine and the effluent tank spilt, discharging water used as the primary coolant into the environment. Sampling did not detect any radioactive contamination in the area. 
			 2010 Two submarines operated for a period without Steam Generator over pressurisation protection, after hull test blanks that were fitted for testing were inadvertently left on. 
			 2011 The Active Waste Facility Active Drain Tank overflowed into the bunded area when a tap was left open, draining the tank and the level alarm failed to operate. The water had been sampled prior to this event and the discharge was below the authorisation limits set by the regulator, the Environment Agency. 
			 2012 A loss of the external power supply to the submarine berths for a period of approximately 90 minutes. The submarine continued to operate safely under its own power supply. 
		
	
	I am withholding details of one further event in 2011 as disclosure would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the armed forces. HMNB Clyde uses a similar classification system, but the definition of A and B are different. A category A nuclear event is defined as:
	“actual or high potential for radioactive release to the environment or over exposure to radiation.”
	A category B nuclear event is defined as:
	“actual or high potential for a contained release within building or submarine or unplanned exposure to radiation.”
	There have been no category A and six category B nuclear events during the last five years. The following table summarises the category B events:
	
		
			  Event 
			 2008 Valves on board a submarine, which were supplying steam to the electrical generation equipment, were shut in error, causing a loss of non-essential electrical power. 
			 2009 A crane can make 32,000 lifts during its 50-year life. The facility safety case assumes 250 lifts are made per year and if further lifts are required an application should be made in advance. This process was followed correctly, but it was considered that the Defence Nuclear Safety Regulator (DNSR) should have been consulted due to this being a change to operating rules. DNSR clarified the position and confirmed that the number of crane lifts did not require specific DNSR agreement. 
			 2009 Due to the operational programme in 2009 an application was made and approved to conduct 475 lifts. A crane exceeded the agreed total lifts by five without gaining prior permission. Overall usage of this crane remained below the through-life limits. The average over the last six years has been 185 lifts. 
			 2010 Ice plugs, which are formed using liquid nitrogen, are commonly used during repairs or maintenance to some reactor systems. An interruption to the supply of nitrogen caused an ice plug to melt which resulted in a small amount of reactor coolant leaking within the bilge area of the reactor compartment. The leak was isolated by closing a valve. The coolant was recovered using normal processes, ensuring there was no contamination external to the reactor. The repair was subsequently completed without incident. 
			 2010 A bag containing potentially contaminated clothing fell overboard. It was recovered and later proved to be non-contaminated. 
			 2012 While conducting maintenance, workers entered an area adjacent to the reactor compartment without the proper radiological controls in place and hence received an unplanned exposure to a radiological dose. It was subsequently demonstrated that dose was well within allowable limits. 
		
	
	The International Nuclear Event Scale (INES) is an internationally recognised scale for classifying nuclear events, with Level 7 being the most severe and Level 1 the least severe. A Level 1 event is defined as being one of the following:
	“Overexposure of a member of the public to excess of the statutory annual limits. Minor problems with safety components with significant defence-in-depth remaining. Low activity loss or stolen radioactive sources, device or transport package.”
	All of the nuclear events listed for HMNB Devonport were assessed as “below scale” on INES with the exception of the nuclear event in 2010. This was assessed as Level 1, indicating that there were other levels of safety inbuilt into the process. All of the nuclear events for HMNB Clyde were assessed as “below scale” on INES. In retrospect, both of the crane events in 2009 were over-categorised and should have been Category C events.

Guided Weapons

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many Thales Starstreak high velocity missiles have been purchased by his Department on 11 October 2013; and what the cost to the public purse of this purchase was;
	(2)  how many Thales Starstreak high velocity missiles are currently in the inventory of the armed forces.

Philip Dunne: holding answer 18 October 2013
	The contract placed with Thales on 11 October 2013 will supply 200 Starstreak High Velocity Missiles to the Ministry of Defence. I am withholding details of the cost as disclosure would be likely to prejudice commercial interests. Details of the total UK stockpile are being withheld as disclosure would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the armed forces.

Military Decorations: World War II

Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of those who are eligible have applied for the Bomber Command clasp to date; how many of those applications have been (a) rejected and (b) accepted; and what estimate he has made of the number of members of Bomber Command who are ineligible for the clasp.

Mark Francois: We are collating the statistics which my hon. Friend has requested and I shall reply to him shortly.
	Substantive answer from Anna Soubry to Gareth Johnson:
	My predecessor (The Rt Hon Mark Francois MP) undertook to write to you in answer to your Parliamentary Question concerning Bomber Command Clasp (BCC) applications on 25 June. I am now in a position to provide you with a full response.
	The total number of Bomber Command Clasp applications as at 1 October was 9,651 of which 3,392 were from veterans, 1,428 from widows and 4,831 from the next of kin.
	The number of veterans applications (a) rejected and (b) approved was 1045 and 2174 respectively. Of the rejected applications, 397 were veterans from the Commonwealth, who have had their applications referred to their respective medal issuing Authorities, and 548 did not serve in Bomber Command or did not meet the criteria. In addition 129 cases are pending and 44 cases were duplicate applications.
	The estimated size of the cohort of those who served in Bomber Command during the Second World War was 125,000. Until all applications are assessed, the true number of those who will be eligible for the Clasp will not be known.

Mobile Phones

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many smartphone apps his Department has launched.

Philip Dunne: Since 2007, available records show that the armed forces have launched 31 smartphone applications.

The Guardian

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department spent on advertising with (a)The Guardian newspaper, (b)The Guardian website and (c)The Guardian Media Group in (i) 2009-10, (ii) 2010-11, (iii) 2011-12 and (iv) 2012-13.

Mark Francois: holding answer 18 October 2013
	The estimated Ministry of Defence spend on advertising with The Guardian newspaper, website and Media Group, is set out in the following table. This does not include expenditure by the Army which is not recorded in the format requested.
	
		
			 £ 
			 Financial year The Guardian newspaper The Guardian website The Guardian Media Group 
			 2009-10 15,300 5,600 — 
			 2010-11 8,700 3,200 — 
			 2011-12 600 35,800 — 
			 2012-13 0 48,300 —

Unmanned Air Vehicles

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the Watchkeeper unmanned aerial vehicle will receive a full release to service; and if he will estimate how much has been spent on the programme to date.

Philip Dunne: Watchkeeper will be the first large unmanned air system to fly in UK airspace and it is essential that the release to service process, including airworthiness certification, is thorough. The programme is making significant progress towards release to service having recently received a Statement of Type Design Assurance from the Military Aviation Authority; this is a key component of the certification process which allows the Ministry of Defence to continue towards the initial release to service.
	To the end of the financial year 2012-13 the total spend on the Watchkeeper programme was £831 million. The current financial approval for the Watchkeeper programme is £1.035 billion for equipment acquisition and initial in-service support.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Electoral Register

Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions he has had with the (a) Electoral Office headquarters in Northern Ireland and (b) Electoral Commission regarding the ongoing work to update the Electoral Register in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

Theresa Villiers: The former Minister of State for Northern Ireland, my hon. Friend the Member for Hemel Hempstead (Mike Penning), discussed work to update the Northern Ireland electoral register with the Chief Electoral Officer and the Electoral Commissioner responsible for Northern Ireland on several occasions.
	It is important that all parties work with the Electoral Office to ensure that as many as possible of those eligible are registered to vote in advance of the 2014 elections.

Electoral Register

Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of progress with the updating of the Electoral Register in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

Theresa Villiers: The electoral canvass is still under way. As of 12 October, 916,830 electors had been registered, about 64% of the estimated electorate in Northern Ireland.
	A new electoral register will be published at the beginning of December.

Northern Ireland Government

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many meetings she has had with Richard Haass or members of his staff since his appointment as Chair of round table talks in Northern Ireland.

Theresa Villiers: I have met Dr Haass twice and have also spoken to him by telephone. Additionally my officials have met Dr Haass and his team on a number of occasions. The Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister met Dr Haass on 17 October 2013, and I am scheduled to see him again later this month.

Police Service of Northern Ireland

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many meetings Ministers in her Department have had with the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland since September 2012.

Theresa Villiers: I hold regular meetings with the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland. These occur in a variety of formats such as arranged meetings, at events, functions or visits. In addition we speak frequently by telephone. We discuss a range of subjects including security matters.

The Guardian

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much her Department spent on advertising with (a)The Guardian newspaper, (b)The Guardian website and (c)The Guardian Media Group in (i) 2009-10, (ii) 2010-11, (iii) 2011-12 and (iv) 2012-13.

Theresa Villiers: Nil.

Tourism

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions she has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on the likely benefits to tourism in Northern Ireland as a result of the 2013 World Police and Fire Games.

Theresa Villiers: The World Police and Fire Games 2013 was the biggest sporting event to be hosted in Northern Ireland with almost 7,000 athletes and technical support staff from 67 countries registering for the games. They were hailed as the friendliest and best games ever by Mike Graham WPFG Federation President. This was a great achievement for Northern Ireland and I attended some of the events as did the former Minister of State.
	I am advised that the Northern Ireland Department for Culture Arts and Leisure will produce a full games evaluation report by 2014, but I understand that at least 10,000 visitors came to Northern Ireland as a result of the games directly benefiting the economy.
	The World Police and Fire Games in Belfast were discussed at the plenary meeting of the Joint Ministerial Committee at No. 10 Downing street on 16 October, which was chaired by the Prime Minister at which the First Minister and Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland, the First Ministers of Scotland and Wales and the territorial Secretaries of State were present. The Prime Minister commented on how successful the games had been.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Children: Maintenance

Sheila Gilmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment his Department has made of (a) availability, (b) capacity and (c) effectiveness of provision available for parents bursary family-based arrangements for child maintenance from 2014.

Steve Webb: Family-based arrangements are supported through two main programmes.
	First, the Help and Support for Separated Families (HSSF) initiative aims to encourage and support parents to work together across the range of issues parents face when separating, including child maintenance:
	the HSSF web app, Sorting out Separation, provides diagnosis, information and signposting to relevant support services online;
	we have provided training to a range of intermediaries in the public, voluntary and community sectors with existing telephone helplines to add emphasis on parents working together. This training is currently being cascaded through these organisations; and
	we are currently in the process of testing and evaluating interventions through £10 million investment in the Innovation Fund. The aim is to identify what interventions are effective in helping parents to work together. We are in the very early stages of delivery, with formal evaluation due to report in 2014.
	Second, with a more specific focus on child maintenance, the Child Maintenance Options service provides free, impartial information, guidance and support to help parents to make effective family-based arrangements. The service is available by telephone, web app (which includes a Live Chat service and e-mail) and face to face.
	Since its launch in 2008, Child Maintenance Options has handled over one million telephone calls and received over 1.8 million unique visitors to its website. It is estimated that 149,000 children were benefiting from an effective family-based arrangement put in place following contact with the Child Maintenance Options service.
	We expect that the 2012 statutory scheme will be open to all new applicants by the end of this year. The Child Maintenance Options service will provide the Gateway to the 2012 scheme and encourage parents to consider a family-based arrangement, before applying to the 2012 scheme.

Children: Poverty

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many children were classed as living in poverty in each constituency of the UK in each of the last 10 years; and what estimate he has made of the number of such children in each of the next three years.

Esther McVey: This information is not available.
	The Child Poverty Act 2010 sets four income-based UK-wide targets to be met by 2020. The targets are based on the proportion of children living in households with relative low income, combined low income and material deprivation, absolute low income and persistent poverty (all before housing costs have been taken into account). Estimates of these are published in the National Statistics Households Below Average Income (HBAI) series. HBAI uses household income adjusted (or 'equivalised') for household size and composition, to provide a proxy for standard of living.
	Information at constituency level is not available as the sample size of this survey is not sufficient to provide robust estimates. The lowest geography at which poverty estimates are reported is regional level.
	Three-year averages are used to report statistics by region, as single-year estimates are subject to volatility. The latest figures for relative and absolute low income at regional level covering the last 10 years (up until 2009-10 to 2011-12) and latest figures for combined low income and material deprivation can be found in the latest HBAI publication, available at the following link:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/households-below-average-income-hbai-199495-to-201112
	(ISBN 978-1-78153-531-8).
	Relevant figures can be found in Table 4.6db (on page 1.15) for the latest relative low income and combined low income and material deprivation proportions, Table 4.17ts (on page 136) for relative low income for the last 10 years and Table 4.23ts (on page 142) for absolute low income for the last 10 years.
	The Government has not produced forecasts of the number of children living in income poverty for the next three years. The number of children in poverty is dependent on a number of factors which cannot be reliably predicted, including the median income.
	Income matters but considering this in isolation fails to properly reflect the reality of child poverty in the UK today. We want to develop better measures of child poverty which include income but provide a more accurate picture of the reality of child poverty. Our consultation on how best to measure child poverty closed on 15 February. A large volume of responses was received and all of these are being read and analysed to ensure that all important points are captured and used to help Ministers decide on the next steps.

Data Protection

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people's records have been mislaid by his Department in the course of moving documents between storage offices since 1990.

Esther McVey: The Department takes its responsibilities to protect personal data extremely seriously.
	The Department informs the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) of serious incidents involving personal data that arise, and publishes details of such cases in the annual resource accounts.
	One incident arose in September 2011, where a package intended for storage archives was delivered to an incorrect address, but subsequently recovered.
	As a precaution, all the 150 individuals whose data was contained in the package were informed and given advice about protecting their information. The incident was also reported in the relevant annual resource accounts.
	Aside from that incident there have been no other serious incidents involving the movement of documents between storage offices that have been reported to the ICO since 1990.
	Less serious incidents involving personal data that arise are managed locally, and the details of these are not collated centrally. To provide these would incur disproportionate cost.

Employment and Support Allowance

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in receipt of Employment and Support Allowance with a prognosis of over 12 months were referred to the work programme up to June 2013; and how many of such people secured a job outcome.

Esther McVey: During the designated period the number of ESA Work Programme referrals was 70,190. The number of job outcomes was 620.
	The majority of these people will not have had their full two years on the programme by June 2013 so the number of job outcomes will be expected to increase.

Employment and Support Allowance

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will place in the Library details of the (a) most common illnesses and disabilities and (b) length of prognosis of people in receipt of Employment and Support Allowance who have been referred to the Work Programme since it began.

Esther McVey: Details on most common illnesses and disabilities and length of prognosis of people in receipt of employment and support allowance who have been referred to the Work Programme since it began will be placed in the House of Commons Library.

Employment Schemes

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what funding his Department makes available to support jobseekers; and which of those funding schemes involve the transfer of money to (a) private and (b) public sector organisations.

Esther McVey: Funding is made available by the Department for Work and Pensions to support jobseekers from the employment programme funding allocated through the Main Estimate (£842.445 million for 2013-14). Employment programme funding is made available through the following schemes:
	
		
			 Employment programmes  
			 Access to Work Element delivered through private sector contracts 
			   
			 Jobcentre Plus Offer  
			 Enterprise Clubs (1)Element delivered through private sector contracts 
			 New Enterprise Allowance (1)— 
			 Sector based work academies (1)— 
			 Work Clubs (1)— 
			 Work Experience (1)— 
			 Work Trials (1)— 
			   
			 Flexible Support Fund Elements delivered through private and public sectors 
			   
			 Jobcentre Plus Support Contract Delivered through private sector contracts 
			   
			 Work programmes  
			 Community Action Programme Delivered through private sector contracts 
			 Innovation Fund (1)— 
			 Mandatory Work Activity (1)— 
			 Residential Training Colleges (1)— 
			 Work Choice (1)— 
			 Work Programme (1)— 
			 Youth Contract (1)— 
			 (1) Indicates a brace 
		
	
	Support to jobseekers is also provided through funding of the Jobcentre network and internally delivered services and through European Social Fund provision contracts
	with both public and private sector.
	Further details of suppliers for employment-related support services are available at:
	http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/erss-preferred-suppliers.pdf

Housing Benefit: Social Rented Housing

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer to the right hon. Member for St Helens South and Whiston, Official Report, column 237W, on housing benefit: social rented housing, if he will make it his policy to collect data on the number of people who will be affected by changes in housing benefit as a result of the under-occupancy penalty, by parliamentary constituency.

Esther McVey: The Department will release data as to the number of claimants currently in receipt of a deduction in housing benefit due to the removal of the spare room subsidy by local authority.
	The figures are currently undergoing quality assurance and will be released in accordance with official statistics guidelines.
	As constituencies form parts of a local authority it is not possible to provide data at this level.

Housing Benefit: Social Rented Housing

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Kilmarnock and Loudon of 13 September 2013, Official Report, columns 922-3W, on housing benefit: social rented housing, if he will make it his policy to collect data on the number of armed forces veterans who will be affected by the under-occupancy penalty.

Esther McVey: Data in relation to previous employment is not gathered by local authorities as it is not required to assess housing benefit entitlement.

Jobseeker's Allowance

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to his Department's press release of 14 October 2013, entitled jobseekers to start signing new claimant commitment; on what date the regulations under which the claimant commitment was implemented were commenced.

Esther McVey: The claimant commitment acts as the jobseekers agreement for the purposes of section 7 of the Jobseekers Act 1995 and associated regulations. No new regulations have needed to be introduced to support implementation.

Jobseeker's Allowance

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many jobseekers' allowance claimants in (a) Inverness, (b) Rugby and (c) Hammersmith have been required to sign a claimant commitment since 14 October 2013.

Esther McVey: We do not have this information at this early stage. Official statistics on claimants and outcomes will be published according to standard DWP protocols which meet the required standards of the UK Statistics Authority's Code of Practice.

Lip Reading

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will take steps to increase awareness of the needs of people who lipread amongst providers of public services for which his Department is responsible.

Esther McVey: The Department takes steps to ensure that its staff are fully equipped to deal effectively with the needs of a diverse customer base. All DWP staff undertake diversity and equality learning to raise awareness and help them understand issues faced by disabled customers and claimants, including those who are deaf or hearing impaired. Jobcentre Plus Advisers and disability employment advisers also receive additional training on disability to enable them to provide the right support to individual customers and claimants. This is supplemented by guidance which includes advice on making reasonable adjustments for disabled people, including deaf people who lipread, to ensure they have full access to services.

Long Term Unemployed People

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of jobseeker's allowance claimants have been out of work for more than (a) 24, (b) 36 and (c) 48 months.

Esther McVey: Information on number and proportion of jobseeker's allowance (JSA) claimants who have been out of work for more than 24, 36 or 48 months is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Statistics on the number and proportion of JSA claimants who have been claiming the benefit for more than 104, 156 and 208 weeks can be found at:
	https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/default.asp
	Guidance for users can be found at:
	https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/home/newuser.asp

Long Term Unemployed People

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the contribution of the Minister for Employment on 14 October 2013, Official Report, column 426, on long-term unemployed, what criteria he will use to select which individuals returning from the Work Programme in April 2014 will be referred to each of the three possible destinations.

Esther McVey: Referral to one of the three intensive modes of support available through Help to Work for claimants returning from the Work programme will depend on claimants' need as determined by a Jobcentre Plus adviser. Evidence gathered from the Support for Very Long Term Unemployed Trailblazer will be used to formulate adviser guidance and further details will be announced closer to implementation.

Pay

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the median wage in real terms of those people in (a) work or self-employment, (b) employed for 35 hours or more per week, (c) part-time employment and (d) self-employment in each (i) local authority area and (ii) parliamentary constituency in each year since 2008.

Nick Hurd: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Cabinet Office.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Joe Grice, dated October 2013
	In the absence of the Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will estimate the median wage in real terms of those people in (a) work or self-employment, (b) employed for 35 hours or more per week, (c) part-time employment and (d) self-employment in each (i) local authority area and (ii) parliamentary constituency in each year since 2008. (171562).
	The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), carried out in April each year, is the most comprehensive source of earnings information in the United Kingdom. Weekly levels of earnings are estimated from ASHE, and are provided for employees on adult rates of pay, whose earnings for the survey pay period were not affected by absence. ASHE does not cover the self-employed: It is not possible at this time to produce estimates in respect of employees who work 35 hours or more per week, but it is possible to provide estimates for all full-time employees.
	Tables show estimates of median gross weekly earnings in each UK parliamentary constituency and local authority area from 2008 to 2012, the latest period for which results are available. Figures are provided for full-time employees, part-time employees and all employees and are given separately in cash terms and in 2012 prices. A copy of the tables will be placed in the Library of the House.

Separated People: Finance

Sheila Gilmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many separating and separated parents have been assisted so far in each project in receipt of funding from the Help and Support for Separated Families Innovation Fund; what the gender of such parents was; and what outcomes were achieved by each such project;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the progress of projects established by voluntary and third-sector organisations following the award of £6.5 million from his Department's Help and Support for Separated Families Innovation Fund in April 2013;
	(3)  when he will publish an evaluation of the first round of funding for projects established under the Help and Support for Separated Families Innovation Fund in April 2013.

Steve Webb: One of the main objectives of the Innovation Fund is to learn what works in helping separated parents to work together in the best interests of their children. Robust evaluation is, therefore, critical and we have set aside funding to ensure this is carried out effectively. At present, all of the projects commissioned in the first round are in the early stages of implementation, with some not yet working with clients. Although we have started to monitor outcomes where projects have begun working with clients, and we have found some very positive case studies, we do not expect to have robust evidence until next year, after which we will publish formal evaluation results. This evaluation will include the number and gender of parents assisted by the projects.

Social Fund

Paul Goggins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the level of repayment was for (a) crisis loans and (b) budgeting loans in each of the four years to March 2013.

Steve Webb: Table 1 gives the level of recovery for crisis loans and budgeting loans in each of the four financial years to March 2013.
	
		
			 Table 1: Recoveries for (a) crisis loans and (b) budgeting loans: 2009-10 to 2012-13 
			 £ million 
			  Crisis Loans Budgeting Loans 
			 2009-10 119.4 463.5 
			 2010-11 123.7 419.9 
			 2011-12 148.4 458.7 
		
	
	
		
			 2012-13 137.9 467.2 
			 Notes: 1. The information provided is Management Information. Our preference is to answer all parliamentary questions using Official/National Statistics but in this case we only have Management Information available. It is not quality assured to the same extent as Official/National statistics and there are some issues with the data, for example, these amounts do not include recoveries from applications which were processed clerically and have not yet been entered on to the Social Fund Computer System. 2. All figures have been rounded to the nearest £100,000.

Social Security Benefits: Disqualification

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the number of sanctions issued by an adviser in Jobcentre Plus is included in his or her staff appraisal; and if he will make a statement.

Esther McVey: Our staff are appraised against objectives. Numerical targets for sanctions are not set, as sanctions should be applied appropriately. The appraisal will cover whether sanctions are being applied appropriately using management information and observation.

Training: Disability

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  if he will include residential training provision for the disabled in the Disability Employment Strategy Report due to be published in November 2013; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  when he intends to publish his response to the Independent Advisory Panel Report on Residential Training Provision, published in July 2013; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Penning: We are still considering the Independent Advisory Panel's recommendations for future Residential Training provision as part of the employment strategy for disabled people and those with health conditions. The strategy will be published before the end of the year, and will include residential training provision. We will respond to the Independent Advisory Panel's recommendations following publication of the strategy.

Unemployed People

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent estimate he has made of levels of (a) functional literacy and (b) computer literacy amongst the unemployed.

Esther McVey: Findings from the Skills for Life Survey 2011 (the most recent survey conducted) show that of those who were unemployed and looking for work 78% had reached level 1(1) or above in literacy. Of this group 43% had reached level 2.
	In relation to ICT literacy, the survey shows 47% of the unemployed had entry level 3 or above for the word processing component of the ICT assessment and 66% had entry level 3 or above for the e-mail part.
	The full Skills for Life publication can be found using the following link:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/36000/12-p168-2011-skills-for-life-survey.pdf
	(1) The Skills for Life survey defines “functional literacy” as level 1 or above.

Unemployed People: Kilmarnock

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much was spent on refunding the cost of travel by jobseekers in Kilmarnock and Loudoun constituency between July 2013 and September 2013.

Esther McVey: The cost of refunding travel expenses to jobseekers in Kilmarnock and Loudoun constituency between July 2013 and September 2013 is £10,316.74
	This cost includes the refunding of jobseekers' travel expenses to job centres and other travel expenses, for example, travel to job interviews, training courses etc.

Universal Credit

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 4 June 2013, Official Report, columns 197-8W, on universal credit: Kilmarnock, if he will make it his policy to establish the numbers of claimants in each parliamentary constituency who will receive universal credit, but do not currently have a bank account.

Esther McVey: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by the Minister of State, Department for Work and Pensions, my hon. Friend the Member for Fareham (Mr Hoban), on 2 September 2013, Official Report, column 251W, to the hon. Member for Wansbeck (Ian Lavery).

Universal Credit

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 4 June 2013, Official Report, columns 197-8W, on universal credit: Kilmarnock, what progress he has made in providing support to working age claimants who currently have no bank accounts to ensure that they have access to suitable financial products and money advice before migrating to universal credit.

Esther McVey: Since the launch of universal credit in April we have worked closely with the relevant jobcentres and local authorities to ensure that money advice and budgeting support is available to all new claimants.
	We have also been working with a number of banks and other providers to support those claimants who do not have bank account to access suitable financial products.
	We will continue to monitor progress and learn from the early phases of universal credit to ensure that all claimants who need budgeting support have access to it.

Universal Credit

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate how many people in each parliamentary constituency will be affected by changes in universal credit payments on and after its introduction as each increase in the personal income tax allowance planned by the Government takes effect thereafter; and what the average change per month in universal credit payments would be for any such people in each constituency.

Esther McVey: The information requested is not available.

Universal Credit

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the expenditure to date on IT for Universal Credit which will be categorised as nugatory in addition to sums already published; and if he will make a statement.

Esther McVey: I refer the right hon. Member to the reply given to him on 4 September 2013, Official Report, column 373-4W, by the Minister of State, Department for Work and Pensions, my hon. Friend the Member for Fareham (Mr Hoban).

Universal Credit

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to page 34 of his Department's green paper entitled 21st Century Welfare published in July 2010, what recent assessment he has made of whether universal credit constitutes a major IT project.

Esther McVey: Universal credit is and remains a major business transformation programme which incorporates IT investment.

EDUCATION

Bookstart Scheme

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many books were delivered by Bookstart in each constituency of the UK in each year of the scheme's existence.

Edward Timpson: Information on the number of books delivered by Bookstart in each constituency in each year of the scheme's existence is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Bookstart Scheme

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what funding was allocated to Bookstart by his Department in each year of its existence.

Edward Timpson: The following table sets out funding allocated to Booktrust for book gifting by the Department by financial year from 2009/10 to 2014/15. This includes funding for Bookstart.
	
		
			 Financial year Grant funding allocation (£ million) 
			 2009-10 13 
			 2010-11 13 
			 2011-12 7.5 
			 2012-13 6 
			 2013-14 6 
			 2014-15 6 
		
	
	Data on funding allocations prior to 2009 are not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Food Banks

Gavin Shuker: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of schools make referrals to food banks.

David Laws: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Free Schools

David Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education on what basis funding is made available to newly-opened free schools in relation to actual and projected numbers of pupils.

Edward Timpson: All free schools are funded on the basis of equivalence with other academy and maintained schools, using the appropriate local school formula for pre-16 students and the national 16-19 funding formula for those over 16.
	While free schools are building up their pupil numbers they are funded on the basis of estimates for the number of pupils they anticipate will attend the school. These are subject to an annual pupil number adjustment exercise which reconciles the estimated pupil numbers to the actual pupil number data collected through the school census. Funding is then adjusted in the following year through a deduction in funding for those schools where the estimate was greater than the actual pupil numbers or an addition where the estimate was less than the actual pupil numbers. Once the free school has recruited to all of its year groups it receives funding on a lagged basis using the most recent October school census return.
	New schools also receive a post-opening grant while building up their pupil numbers to reflect that they have certain fixed costs, such as that of the senior management team, which are not fully covered by their per pupil funding.
	Details of how this grant is allocated can be found in the guides on the Department's website:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/leadership/typesofschools/freeschools/b00222077/pre-opening/revenue

National College for Teaching and Leadership

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what appraisal he has made of the performance of the Chief Executive of the National College for Teaching and Leadership.

David Laws: All members of the senior civil service (SCS) have their performance assessed by their line manager in line with the SCS performance management system. This includes ensuring that performance assessment takes account of feedback from Ministers, as well as other stakeholders.
	Under Charlie Taylor's leadership:
	1. The quality of teacher trainees is better than ever;
	2. There are now 375 teaching schools and we are on target to have 500 by 2015;
	3. NCTL has developed the Early Years Teacher Standards and from September 2014 2,000 trainees will begin their training to become the first-generation of Early Years teachers;
	4. We have expanded the number of scholarships and bursaries available and increased some awards to £25,000, giving more top graduates the opportunity to become teachers.

Pupils: Disadvantaged

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what procedures are in place to ensure pupil premium payments follow students who move schools during an academic year.

David Laws: Pupil premium allocations are based on the January school census. The Department pays pupil premium funding to local authorities through a dedicated grant which they are then required to pass directly to schools. We do not adjust allocations during the year as this would make the system very complex and bureaucratic to administer.
	Local authorities do, however, have some flexibility in allocating the premium for eligible looked after children. They can decide whether to make allocations to schools on a termly basis in order to reflect the pupil's particular circumstances: for example, if the child moves to another school, leaves schools or enters year 12, during the financial year.
	If a pupil is excluded from school, then the funding for that pupil including any pupil premium funding is allocated to their new school.

Schools: Sandwell

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will place copies of the Property Data Survey Programme results for schools in the Sandwell local authority area in the library.

David Laws: In line with one of the recommendations of the Sebastian James Review of Education Capital, the Department for Education has been gathering information on the condition of the school estate through the Property Data Survey Programme. This process is not yet complete.

Schools: Sandwell

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will visit schools in the Sandwell local authority area.

Edward Timpson: The Secretary of State for Education, my right hon. Friend the Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove), has no current plans to visit schools in Sandwell. The Secretary of State offered to visit schools in Sandwell, however, the local authority preferred to send representatives to London to meet at the Department for Education. The Secretary of State agreed to this and the meeting took place.

Schools: Separated People

Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what measures he is taking to ensure schools maintain positive relationships with both parents of a child when the parents are separated.

Edward Timpson: We are taking a number of measures to help parents work together to resolve disputes about their children's care, following family breakdown. In particular, we are improving the information, advice and support available to parents outside the court process, to help them reach agreements which meet their children's needs. Throughout the dispute resolution process, parents will be encouraged to agree a parenting plan setting out how they intend to care for their child, post-separation. This will include issues relating to the child's education.
	The Education (Pupil Information) (England) Regulations 2005 require head teachers to provide an annual written report on pupils' educational achievements for every registered pupil at their school and to make arrangements for the parent to discuss its contents with the pupil's teacher, if they so wish. These regulations apply whether parents live together or apart. Parents are also legally entitled to view, or request a copy of, their child's educational record; and schools must provide parents with access to it within 15 school days of a request.

Schools: Vocational Guidance

Caroline Dinenage: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he is taking to encourage schools to teach pupils about entrepreneurship and starting a business.

Edward Timpson: It is becoming increasingly important for young people to understand about entrepreneurship and starting a business. Schools now have greater freedom to design their careers provision according to the needs of their pupils. They are also best placed to decide how to incorporate teaching of issues such as entrepreneurship across their wider curriculum. By slimming down the National Curriculum we have given schools more scope to introduce topics such as these in ways which are innovative and address specific local needs.
	The Department for Education's reforms to 16-19 provision, underpinned by audit and accountability measures, also set clear expectations on schools and colleges to expand the provision of work experience for this age group. Alongside work experience, new EFA funding flexibilities are designed to encourage schools and colleges to increase their engagement with employers—providing an opportunity to promote enterprise and entrepreneurial skills as part of students' non-qualification activities to enhance further their career prospects.

TRANSPORT

A417 and A419

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what comparative assessment he has made of (a) delays and (b) congestion at the A417/A419 air balloon roundabout and roundabouts with similar traffic levels elsewhere in the country.

Robert Goodwill: The Highways Agency has not undertaken any specific comparative assessment of delays and congestion at the A417/A419 Air Balloon junction with other locations because this junction is unique. It has a steep gradient with significant constraints and accommodates variable traffic flow characteristics. This means a comparison with other junctions would have little value. The Highways Agency does however have a process to compare and prioritise locations on the strategic road network through an assessment of benefits and costs. Any improvement scheme will be judged on this basis.

A417 and A419

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will produce a cost-benefit analysis of the options to alleviate congestion problems on the A417/A419 Air Balloon roundabout.

Robert Goodwill: The Highways Agency is liaising closely with Gloucester county council and recognises the need to address the traffic congestion problems at and on the approaches to the Air Balloon roundabout. An A417 Cowley to Brockworth Bypass Improvement Scheme, which avoided the need for trunk road traffic to pass through the Air Balloon roundabout has been developed with a cost benefit analysis. However, the major scheme could not be taken forward because of the £250 million scheme cost. The Agency is now in the process of investigating outline options for a scheme to improve the junction in the short term without prejudicing any consideration of a longer term major improvement. This work is currently scheduled to be completed by the end of this financial year. When an agreed solution has been identified a full cost-benefit analysis will be undertaken and funding will be prioritised against other schemes nationally.

A417 and A419

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the estimated current design capacity is of the A417/A419 Air Balloon roundabout.

Robert Goodwill: The Highways Agency has not calculated a figure for the current design capacity of the A417/A419 Air Balloon roundabout but it does recognise that the roundabout operates at or beyond capacity at certain times, contributing to the delays on this section of network. The Agency is working closely with Gloucester county council and is in the process of investigating outline options for a scheme to improve the junction capacity in the short term without prejudicing any consideration of a longer term major improvement. This study is planned to be completed by the end of the financial year.

A417 and A419

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average (a) weekday and (b) weekend delay time is for the A317/A319 Air Balloon roundabout during peak hours.

Robert Goodwill: The Highways Agency working closely with Gloucester county council is in the process of investigating outline options for a short term scheme to improve the junction. This work includes measuring delay times specifically at the roundabout. The Agency will be able to report this figure when the study completes at the end of the financial year.

A417 and A419

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps the Highways Agency has taken to deal with congestion centred on the Air Balloon roundabout on the A419 and A417; and whether any further such action is planned.

Robert Goodwill: The Highways Agency recognises the need to improve this section of the A417 in order to reduce the likelihood and impact of incidents. Traffic management measures recently introduced include real time monitoring for incident detection and a specific severe weather management plan for the area. The agency is now in the process of developing outline options for a scheme to improve the junction in the short-term without prejudicing any consideration of a longer term major improvement. This work is currently scheduled to be completed by the end of this financial year. When an agreed solution has been identified a full cost-benefit analysis will be undertaken and funding will be prioritised against other schemes nationally.

A417 and A419

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the (a) lowest and (b) highest daily traffic flow through the A417/A419 Air Balloon roundabout has been in the last six months.

Robert Goodwill: The highest daily flow figure recorded through the A417 roundabout in the last six months as calculated by traffic approaching from all three arms was 50,200 vehicles on Friday 19 July 2013. The lowest figure was 32,700 vehicles on Saturday 18 May 2013.

Aviation: Fuels

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of whether the current regulation for minimal fuel carry for commercial aircraft is satisfactory.

Robert Goodwill: All EU airlines are required to comply with the fuel requirements set out in an EU regulation commonly known as EU-OPS, which are in place to ensure that airlines operate with sufficient fuel at all times.
	The minimum fuel requirements detailed in EU-OPS state that the commander of a flight must upload sufficient fuel to reach the intended destination, fly a ‘go-around’, hold for 30 minutes, divert to a designated alternate airport, and have an additional emergency reserve equivalent to 10% of the original amount uploaded.
	This policy has recently been subject to extensive consultation with aviation stakeholders and has been reconfirmed in revised EU regulations adopted last year, which the UK fully supports.

British Transport Police

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many British Transport police officers there were in post in each of the last five years.

Stephen Hammond: The number of officers in post in each of the last five years, as at 30 September for. each year is set out in the following table.
	
		
			  Officer headcount 
			 2013 2,873 
			 2012 2,865 
			 2011 2,848 
			 2010 2,889 
			 2009 2,926

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the cost of preparing and drafting the proposed Hybrid Bill for Phase 1 of High Speed 2.

Robert Goodwill: We estimate that the Department for Transport will incur £1.7 million in direct staffing and legal consultancy costs for the preparation of the Hybrid Bill for Phase One from the beginning of this financial year up to the end of this year when we aim to introduce the Bill to Parliament. The actual drafting of the Hybrid Bill is conducted by the Office of Parliamentary Counsel which is based in the Cabinet Office.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether any businesses have indicated to his Department that they plan to relocate from London to Birmingham as a result of the planned High Speed 2 project.

Robert Goodwill: Neither the Department nor HS2 Ltd are aware of any businesses which have indicated that they plan to relocate from London to Birmingham. However, as the HS2 scheme is not expected to receive Royal Assent before 2015 and the railway to become operational in 2026, we would not expect businesses to be discussing relocation plans with us at this early stage.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many requests made pursuant to (a) the Freedom of Information Act 2000, (b) the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 and (c) Data Subject Access Requests contained in the Data Protection Act 1998 have been submitted to (i) his Department and (ii) HS2 Ltd since 1 January 2010 concerning the High Speed 2 rail project.

Robert Goodwill: Since 1 January 2010, the Department for Transport has handled 172 requests under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOI) and 95 requests under the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (EIR) concerning the High Speed 2 rail project.
	In accordance with its retention policy, the Department only keeps detailed records about Data Subject Access Requests for one year after the date of the last correspondence about the request. Since August 2012 the Department has handled four requests from individuals in connection with the project.
	Since 1 January 2010, HS2 Ltd has received 852 FOI and EIR requests. HS2 Ltd is unable to give the split between FOI and EIR requests as it does not differentiate between them in its case handling system. It has received 36 Data Subject Access Requests.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which consultancy firms have been paid in excess of £100,000 and (a) are being used and (b) have been used on the High Speed 2 rail project since 1 January 2011; and what their remit is in each such case.

Robert Goodwill: The information requested is presented in the following table:
	
		
			 Company Name Remit 
			 HS2 Ltd  
			 Ove Arup and Partners Limited Production of Visualisations in Support of Consultation Process 
			 Mott Macdonald Limited Production of Visualisations in Support of Consultation Process 
			 Davis Langdon LLP Cost and Risk Services 
			 UK Power Networks Services (Commercial) Ltd Power Advice 
			 Bircham Dyson Bell LLP Legal Services 
			 John Bates Services HS2 Model Development Services 
			 UK Power Networks Services (Commercial) Ltd Power Traction 
			 CJA Group Ltd Recruitment advertising 
			 Rowsell Wright Limited Contract Management Interim Resources 
			 Dialogue by Design Blight Consultation Analysis 
			 Blom Aerofilms Limited Aerial Survey Services 
			 Fujitsu ICT Services 
			 Landmark Information Group Ltd Spatial data supply 
			 Rowsell Wright Limited Procurement Support Services 
			 Atkins Limited Professional Services: Update the Planet Framework Model (forecasting passenger travel behaviour) 
			 MVA Consultancy Ltd Professional Services: Update the Demand Model 
			 Sinclair Knight Merz (Europe) Ltd (SKM) Professional Services: Full Audit of HS2 Ltd Modelling 
			 KPMG LLP Professional Services Lot 2, WP1(1): Scoping of Analysis 
			 Mott Macdonald Limited HS2 West Midlands Strategic Transport Modelling 
			 Precedent Communications Ltd Website Development Project 
			 Ipsos MORI LMH Blight Consultation 
			 Atkins Limited Modelling Services—HS2 Forecast Update(WP4) 
			 Atkins Limited Modelling Services—Network Assumptions Update (WP5) 
			 Sinclair Knight Merz (Europe) Ltd (SKM) Professional Services: Full Audit of HS2 Ltd modelling 
			 Design Triangle Limited Train Parameters Study 
			 KPMG LLP Professional Services: Revenue Modelling 
			 KPMG LLP Professional Services: Financial Modelling 
			 M-is Consultation Event Management Services 
			 KPMG LLP Professional Services: Lot 2 WP4 (Programme Mgmt) 
			 Mott Macdonald Limited Professional Services: Demand, Modelling and Analysis Services 
			 Arc Firepro Limited Services to 2nd and 7th Floor relocation works 
			 Deloitte LLP trading as Drivers Jonas Deloitte Estates Professional Services WP10 
			 Atkins Limited Professional Services: London Underground Transport Modelling 
			 Benefex Professional Services: Flexible Benefits Service 
		
	
	
		
			 CH2M Hill UK Professional Services: Development Partner Contract 
			 Ove Arup and Partners Limited Professional Services: Lot 1 Euston Station Design 
			 Mott Macdonald Limited Professional Services: Lot 1 London Metropolitan Area Design 
			 Atkins Limited Professional Services: Lot 1 Country South Design 
			 Capita Symonds Ltd Professional Services: Lot 1 Country North Design 
			 Ove Arup and Partners Limited Professional Services: Lot 1 Birmingham Metropolitan Area Design 
			 Ove Arup and Partners Limited Professional Services: General Services Package Order 
			 Ove Arup and Partners Limited Professional Services: Lot 1 Aerodynamic Modelling 
			 Parsons Brinckerhoff Ltd Professional Services: Lot 2 High Speed Railway Systems 
			 Parsons Brinckerhoff Ltd Professional Services: Lot 2 Conventional Railway Systems 
			 Ove Arup and Partners Limited Professional Services: Lot 3 Environmental Overview Consultant 
			 Environmental Resources Management Limited (ERM) Professional Services: Lot 3 London Metropolitan Area EIA 
			 Environmental Resources Management Limited (ERM) Professional Services: Lot 3 Country South EIA 
			 Atkins Limited Professional Services: Lot 3 Country North EIA 
			 Ove Arup and Partners Limited Professional Services: Lot 3 Birmingham Metropolitan Area EIA 
			 Terraquest Professional Services: Lot 4 London Metropolitan Area (Land Referencing) 
			 Mouchel Limited Professional Services: Lot 4 Country South (Land Referencing) 
			 Mott Macdonald Limited Professional Services: Lot 4 Country North (Land Referencing) 
			 Terraquest Professional Services: Lot 4 Birmingham Metropolitan Area (Land Referencing) 
			 Aecom Ltd Professional Services: Phase 2 Line of Route West—West Midlands to Manchester 
			 Mott Macdonald Limited Professional Services: Phase 2 Lot 1 Line of Route East—West Midlands to Leeds 
			 Ove Arup and Partners Limited Professional Services: Phase 2 Lot 2 Sound Demonstrations 
			 Temple RSK Professional Services: Phase 2 Lot 2 Appraisal of Sustainability 
			 Dialogue by Design Consultation Services Framework WP1—Draft ES Response Analysis 
			 Ipsos MORI Consultation Services HS2 Phase 1 Route Development 
			 Stratia Consulting Limited IT Security Officers 
			 Axis 12 Ltd Communications: Website Hosting and Support 
			 Systra Track Ballast Study 
			 Critigen (registered as Geospatial Cooperative) Extranet Support Services 
			 PWC Professional Services: Commercial Analysis—WP7 
			 KPMG LLP Professional Services: Commercial Analysis—WP5 
			 KPMG LLP Professional Services: Regional Economic Analysis 
			 Emergn Limited Professional Services: Agile Training and Coaching 
			 PricewaterhouseCoopers Professional Services: Phase 1 Construction Delivery Model Options Appraisal 
			 Dialogue by Design Consultation Services Framework—WP4 
			   
			 DFT  
			 Winckworth Sherwoods and Eversheds Parliamentary Agents—Provision of advice on the Phase One hybrid Bill process, the private elements of the hybrid Bill and associated documents (Plans and Sections, Environmental Statement etc), and supporting the management of the hybrid Bill through Parliament. 
			 Landmark Chambers Parliamentary Counsel—Representing the Government in court proceedings related to HS2. They will represent the Government during the Select Committee element of the hybrid Bill process and are providing advice on specialist areas of planning/environmental law and petition management. 
			 Landmark Chambers Counsel—Representing the Government in defending Judicial Review 
			 39 Essex St Parliamentary Counsel—Representing the Government during the Select Committee element of the hybrid Bill process and are providing advice on specialist areas of planning / environmental law and petition management 
			 Parsons Brinckerhoff Ltd The Department has appointed a Project Representative for the HS2 project. This team provides assurance to DFT as sponsor on HS2 Ltd's delivery of the agreed sponsor requirements for the project. This includes providing assurance across areas of, design, future proofing, environmental, property and system integration issues as well reporting on the implications of change on cost and funding 
			 WS Atkins Examine the case for strategic rail alternatives to HS2. 
			 (1) Denotes Work Package.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the number of businesses likely to close as a result of the construction of High Speed 2.

Robert Goodwill: An assessment of the impact on businesses of Phase 1 of High Speed 2 has been made and will be reported in volume 3 of the Environmental Statement, which will be published at deposit of the Phase 1 bill. The Department recognises the importance of displaced businesses being able to relocate to new premises and is exploring how they can be provided with support to facilitate this process.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much funding he expects to raise from local authorities who will benefit from High Speed 2.

Robert Goodwill: The delivery of high speed rail must deliver good value for the taxpayer. While we accept that the majority of the scheme will be funded by central Government, we have consistently said that we expect third parties which will benefit directly and significantly from the project, including local authorities and businesses, to consider contributing financially.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will publish the report commissioned by HS2 Ltd from the companies Sinclair Knight Merz and Jacobs into the High Speed 2 modelling framework.

Robert Goodwill: The report commissioned by HS2 Ltd from the companies Sinclair Knight Merz and Jacobs will be published shortly alongside an update of the economic case for HS2.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when his Department will provide illustrative timetables that set out planned services for the West Coast Main Line following completion of High Speed 2.

Robert Goodwill: We intend to make the most of the additional capacity that HS2 will create in order to maximise the benefits from the new railway. Railway timetables are always evolving to meet demands for services, and at this stage in the project it is too early to make detailed commitments about how the rail network will operate after HS2 Phase One opens in 2026, or after Phase Two opens in 2033. However, illustrative scenarios have been prepared by HS2 Ltd and Network Rail to show how HS2 will improve commuter and regional services.

High Speed Two

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many individuals have been engaged by HS2 Ltd in the last 12 months via personal service companies.

Robert Goodwill: In the 12 months to 16 October 2013, HS2 Ltd engaged 48 people who are paid through personal service companies. Eight of the 48 people have either left the company or have transferred onto payroll. A further 12 will have left or transferred by 31 December. We are currently carrying out an assurance process to ensure that all of these people are compliant with their tax and national insurance obligations.

Invalid Vehicles: Accidents

Angela Watkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many accidents on roads involving motorised mobility scooters have been recorded in the last five years for which records are available.

Robert Goodwill: The Department does not hold comprehensive data on personal injury road accidents involving motorised mobility scooters. Data on this issue were first collected (on a non-mandatory basis) in 2012, with 12 out of 51 police forces in Great Britain supplying data. Across these forces, there were 84 reported personal injury road accidents involving mobility scooters. The data for earlier years are not available.
	The Department is working to obtain data on this issue from all forces by 2015.

Mobile Phones

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many smartphone apps his Department has launched.

Stephen Hammond: The smartphone apps launched by the Department and its agencies are shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Area/agency App name Launched 
			 DSA Official DSA Theory Test Kit for Car Drivers including Hazard Perception app 2011 
			 DSA The Official DSA Theory Test for Car Drivers app 2011 
			 DSA The Official DSA Theory Test for Car Drivers Lite app 2011 
			 DSA The Official Highway Code app 2012 
			 (1) Highways Agency (HA) Live Traffic Information app 2009 
			 (1) Other apps have been produced using HA data but these have been done by the private sector and not by HA.

Railway Stations: Chelmsford

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans there are to build a new railway station at Beaulieu Park, Chelmsford; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Hammond: As part of the major housing scheme at Beaulieu Park, the developer has committed to providing a new railway station. The Department is working with Chelmsford city council, Network Rail and the rail operator to help the developer progress this proposal.
	The Greater Anglia Direct Award will include a requirement for the operator to co-operate in facilitating the construction and operation of the proposed station.

Railways: Chelmsford

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans there are to build a (a) loop and (b) third rail from Beaulieu Park to Witham; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Hammond: Network Rail's Strategic Business Plan for Control Period 5 (2014 to 2019) includes a plan for capacity improvement on the Great Eastern Main Line. The proposed scope of works includes the provision of turnback facilities in the Chelmsford area. We await details from Network Rail about where and how these turnback facilities will be provided.

Railways: Ipswich

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made in replacing the overhead electrification cables on the line from London Liverpool Street to Ipswich; and what the cost of the project has been to date.

Stephen Hammond: The overhead lines along the route from Liverpool Street to Ipswich are subject to regular renewal and maintenance by Network Rail to keep them in a suitable condition for the services using them. A specific project is under way to renew the overhead lines from Liverpool Street to Chelmsford. Completion is scheduled for March 2018 and the anticipated final cost is approximately £270 million.
	In addition, the route will also benefit from works as part of the Great Eastern Mainline Capacity Improvement work at Bow Junction.

Railways: Ipswich

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress is being made in upgrading the track from London Liverpool Street to Ipswich; and what the cost of that project has been to date.

Stephen Hammond: The track from London Liverpool Street to Ipswich is managed by Network Rail. They maintain and renew track according to its condition and the requirements of the services using it. There is no specific project to upgrade the track from London Liverpool Street to Ipswich. Renewal and maintenance work is carried out as part of Network Rail's day to day management of the network.

Railways: Wales

Glyn Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with Welsh Ministers and representatives on securing an hourly train service between Shrewsbury and Aberystwyth.

Stephen Hammond: Under the Welsh rail devolution arrangements, the Welsh Government is responsible for the management of this route within the Arriva Trains Wales franchise. Therefore there have been no discussions between the Welsh Government and DFT Ministers on this issue.

Roads: Safety

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  how many road safety auditors there were in (a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Northern Ireland and (d) Scotland in each of the last three years;
	(2)  how many certificates of competence in road safety audit have been issued by the Highways Agency in (a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Northern Ireland and (d) Scotland since December 2011.

Robert Goodwill: There is no central list of the number of road safety auditors operating in the United Kingdom and, as such it is not possible to answer the question fully. The best indicator is the current register of members and fellows (including honorary) of the Society of Road Safety Auditors (SoRSA). The total membership is presently 296. There are likely to be many active auditors who are not registered with SoRSA as there is no formal requirement to do so. The IHE (Institute of Highway Engineers) also keep a list of registered Road Safety Audits, this includes the details of 30 practicing road safety auditors, these individuals may or may not be a member of SoRSA.
	The Highways Agency produced Interim Advice Note (IAN) 152/11 in December 2011 in response to the European Directive 2008/96/EC. This document set out the intention of the Highways Agency to ensure that road safety audit teams undertaking road safety audits on any Highways Agency roads (rather than just the Trans-European Road Network (TERN) requirement of the directive) contained at least one member holding a Certificate of Competency. The devolved Administrations have produced their own variations of IAN 152/11 covering the road network they are responsible for, however in respect of the Certificate of Competency process these documents follow the procedure set out in the Highways Agency IAN 152/11.
	The Highways Agency does not issue certificates directly. Instead there are currently two Highways Agency accepted routes to attaining the certificate—the Training Course Route currently overseen by TMS Consultancy and the Portfolio of Evidence Route which is overseen by SoRSA. The devolved Administrations have agreed that the Highways Agency retain responsibility for the acceptance of Certificate of Competency assessment and certification processes proposed by professional organisations on their behalf.
	To date 178 individuals have been issued with certificates through one of the two available routes with at least 10 applications pending. It is likely that this number will increase in advance of the requirements of IAN 152/11 coming into force in December 2013.

Transport: Schools

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how he measures the distance children travel to school in rural areas.

Stephen Hammond: The National Travel Survey collects data on children travelling to school. Average distance travelled to/from school by children living in rural areas is published in table NTS9908 at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/nts99-travel-by-region-and-area-type-of-residence
	The relevant section of the table is re-produced as follows:
	
		
			 Average trip length of trips to and from school(1) by rural residents: Great Britain, 2011-12(2) 
			 Miles 
			 Area type of residence: Aged 5-10 years Ages 11-16 years 
			 Rural areas (under 3,000 population)(3) 3.0 6.6 
			 (1) Trips of under 50 miles only. (2) Two survey years combined, eg 2011 and 2012. (3) A rural area is defined in the NTS as a non-urban area or an urban area with less than 3,000 population. Source: National Travel Survey

Transport: Schools

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average distance travelled to school by (a) primary, (b) secondary and (c) all other pupils for whom data is available was for the last three years of recorded data.

Stephen Hammond: Average distance travelled to/from school by primary and secondary school children is published in table NTS0613 at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/nts06-age-gender-and-modal-breakdown
	The relevant section of the table is reproduced as follows:
	
		
			 Average trip length to and from school(1) per child per year: Great Britain, 2010 to 2012 
			 Average trip length (miles) 
			  2010 2011 2012 
			 Aged 5 to 10 years (primary) 1.5 1.7 1.8 
			 Aged 11 to 16 years (secondary) 3.5 3.3 3.4 
			 Aged 5 to 16 years 2.6 2.5 2.6 
			 (1). Education trips of under 50 miles only. Source: National Travel Survey.

JUSTICE

Crime: Victims

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he will publish the next Victims' Code.

Shailesh Vara: We intend to publish the new Victims' Code very shortly.

Dogs

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prosecutions there have been for dog control offences under the Town and Police Clauses Act 1847 in each year for which statistics are available since 2008.

George Eustice: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
	The number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts for offences relating to control of dogs under the Town and Police Clauses Act 1847, England and Wales, 2008 to 2012, can be viewed in the following table:
	
		
			 Defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts for offences relating to control of dogs(1) under the Town Police Clauses Act 1847, England and Wales, 2008-12(2,3) 
			  2008(4) 2009 2010 2011 2012 
			 Proceeded against 1 4 2 1 2 
			 (1) Includes offences relating to dogs under s28(2) to (4) of the Act. (2) The figures given in the table relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (3) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (4) Excludes data for Cardiff magistrates court for April, July and August 2008. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice

Employment and Support Allowance: Appeals

David Ward: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many appeals from Bradford relating to employment and support allowance have been logged with the Tribunals Service in the last 12 months.

Shailesh Vara: The First-tier Tribunal—Social Security and Child Support (SSCS), administered by HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS), hears appeals against Department for Work and Pensions' (DWP) decisions on a range of benefits, including employment and support allowance (ESA).
	The number of appeals against ESA decisions allocated to the Bradford hearing venue, Phoenix House, between April 2012 and March 2013 was 4,575. For the period April to June 2013 (the latest period for which figures are available) the number of appeals against ESA decisions at Phoenix House in Bradford was 1,339. Figures provided are for Phoenix House which hears appeals from Bradford and the surrounding area.

Food Banks

Gavin Shuker: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of probation offices make referrals to food banks.

Jeremy Wright: The information requested is not collected centrally and could not be obtained without incurring disproportionate cost.

Human Trafficking: Victim Support Schemes

Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what support her Department provides to women who have been trafficked in order to assist their rehabilitation into civil society.

Shailesh Vara: Women identified as potential victims of human trafficking and referred to the National Referral Mechanism—the Government's formal identification process—are entitled to receive support under a contract which has been operated by the Salvation Army since July 2011. The contract supports both female and male victims and is jointly-funded by the Ministry of Justice and the Home Office. In 2012-13 £3 million was provided to the Salvation Army to run the contract.
	Based on the victim's individual needs, the Salvation Army will ensure they are provided with the appropriate services to aid their recovery from the trauma of being trafficked. The Salvation Army have a wide and diverse supply chain of 12 sub-contractors who support victims in the most appropriate environment and tailor support according to need. This includes the provision of safe and secure accommodation, providing access to legal advice and preparing individuals for work through arranging access to training courses and mentoring.
	Victims are entitled to support under the contract for a minimum of 45 days or until they have received a 'Conclusive Grounds' decision to confirm they are a victim of trafficking. At this point the Salvation Army will work to support all victims to ensure an appropriate exit from the contract and into other support services or the safe return to their home country.

Magistrates

Sarah Wollaston: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  if he will review the retirement age for magistrates;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the cost to the public purse of raising the retirement age of magistrates to 75.

Shailesh Vara: Ministers and the senior judiciary periodically review the judicial retirement age, magistrates included. There are no plans at present to separately review the retirement age for magistrates, which is set at 70 by section 13 of the Courts Act 2003.
	The Government has not undertaken an assessment of the potential cost that would be incurred if the retirement age of magistrates were to be raised above 70. There is no plan to do so at this time.

Ministers’ Private Offices

Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many full-time equivalent staff of each Civil Service grade are currently employed in the private office of each Minister in his Department; and what the pay band of each such member of staff is.

Shailesh Vara: The following table outlines the current staffing structure for ministerial offices at the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) HQ. Details include those staff working directly to Ministers and based in each of their private offices. It does not include details of special advisers, staff in parliamentary branch, the shared ministerial support and correspondence teams or the office of the Permanent Secretary.
	Payband details provided for Senior Civil Service Pay Band 1 staff show the minimum and maximum pay awards for London based SCS staff from April 2013, and exclude any specialist or private office allowances or enhancements.
	Payband details for staff between Bands A and F show the minimum and maximum pay awards as agreed in the MOJ pay settlement in August 2010 for staff in Pay Range 1. Pay details for any National Offender Management Service (NOMS) staff listed are taken from the April 2012 NOMS pay settlement. All figures shown relate to inner London based staff and exclude any specialist or private office allowances or enhancements.
	
		
			 Rt. Hon. Chris Grayling MP, the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice 
			 Grade FTE Pay band (£)  
			 SCS PB1 1.00 63,500 to 117,800 — 
			 Band A 2.00 50,534 to 67,969 — 
			 Band C 5.00 29,495 to 36,010 Includes 4.00 FTE fast streamers 
			 Band D 2.00 24,007 to 28,000  
			 Total 10.00 — — 
		
	
	
		
			 Rt. Hon. Lord McNally, Minister of State 
			 Grade FTE Pay band (£)  
			 Band A 1.00 50,534 to 67,969 — 
			 Band C 3.00 29,495 to 36,010 Includes 1.0 FTE fast streamer and 1.0 FTE who also provides support for the right hon. Damian Green 
			 Band D 1.00 24,007 to 28,000 — 
			 Total 5.00 — — 
		
	
	
		
			 Jeremy Wright MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Minister for Prisons and Rehabilitation 
			 Grade FTE Pay band (£)  
			 Band A 2.00 50,534 to 67,969 — 
		
	
	
		
			   32,575 to 42,875 Includes 1.0 FTE Band 7 (Band A equivalent) as support from National Offender Management Service. 
			 Band C 1.00 29,495 to 36,010 Equates to one FTE fast streamer at 1.0 FTE. 
			 Band D 1.00 24,007 to 28,000 — 
			 Total 4.00 — — 
		
	
	
		
			 Rt. Hon. Damian Green MP, Minister of State, Minister for Policing, Criminal Justice and Victims (jointly with the Home Office)(1) 
			 Grade FTE Pay band (£)  
			 Band C 2.00 29,495 to 36,010 Equates to 1.00 FTE fast streamer and 1.00 FTE Band C who also supports the right hon. Lord McNally. 
			 Total 2.00 — — 
			 (1) The right hon. Damian Green's ministerial portfolio covers both Home Office and Ministry of Justice business. In addition to the support listed here, he also receives private office support from the Home Office. 
		
	
	
		
			 Shailesh Vara MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Minister for the Courts and Legal Aid 
			 Grade FTE Pay band (£)  
			 Band A 1.00 50,534 to 67,969 — 
			 Band C 2.00 29,495 to 36,010 Equates to 2.00 FTE fast streamers at Band C 
			 Band D 1.00 24,007 to 28,000 — 
			 Total 4.00 — —

Mobile Phones

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many smartphone apps his Department has launched.

Shailesh Vara: The Ministry of Justice has to date launched no smartphone apps. This is in line with Government policy concerning the provision of digital services to citizens as outlined in the Government Service Design Manual
	https://www.gov.uk/service-manual/making-software/standalone-apps.html
	This states that native smartphone apps are currently rarely justified. The Government's guidance is that digital services should use responsive web design to optimise the user experience across a wide range of devices. Accordingly, all Ministry of Justice digital services are now being designed in this way.

Prison Service

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the effect of the planned changes in the number of prison officers employed in the public sector on (a) prison safety and (b) rehabilitation programmes within public sector prisons.

Jeremy Wright: The changes in the number of Prison Officers in public sector prisons is being introduced as part of the Benchmark Project which will deliver efficiencies by reducing headcount without comprising security, decency and safety in prisons. Key to the latter is the provision of regimes which help reduce the risk of prisoners reoffending on release. The rigorous process of applying and implementing benchmarks ensure that changes are carefully risk-assessed and managed. Senior managers in the National Offender Management Service are monitoring closely the introduction of the changes.

Prisoners

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners have completed their minimum sentence tariff but are still imprisoned in (a) HMP Altcourse, (b) HMP Walton and (c) all prisons in England.

Jeremy Wright: Prison is the right place for serious and dangerous offenders and the Parole Board will only release prisoners serving indeterminate sentences when they consider it is safe to do so. Many prisoners serving indeterminate sentences remain in prison beyond their minimum term, and some are never released. This Government has introduced a tough new regime for dangerous offenders which will see more of them given life sentences and others spending long periods in prison and being supervised for long periods after their release.
	The number of prisoners who remain in prison having served their minimum term in HMP Altcourse, HMP Walton and all prisons in England is given in the following table:
	
		
			 Indeterminate sentenced prisoners in custody beyond tariff by establishment, June 2013, England 
			  Total 
			 Altcourse 25 
			 Liverpool 14 
			 All establishments in England 6,024 
			 Note: Data Sources and Quality: These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Prisons: Crimes of Violence

Gavin Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what steps he plans to take to ensure that prison officers are protected from attacks;
	(2)  how many prison officers were attacked in each of the last three years; how many such attacks resulted in (a) minor injuries, (b) severe injuries and (c) fatalities; and what the average length of sentence handed down to perpetrators of such attacks was.

Jeremy Wright: The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) and the Prison Officers Association (POA) are jointly committed to a zero tolerance approach to assaults on staff, visitors and prisoners.
	NOMS takes the issue of assaults on prison staff very seriously. It currently has systems in place to deal with perpetrators quickly and robustly, with serious incidents referred to the police for prosecution. It is working with the police and Crown Prosecution Service to ensure that prisoners who assault staff are charged and punished appropriately.
	NOMS is committed to exploring options to continue to improve how violence is tackled in prisons to keep both staff and prisoners safe. It is currently reviewing the policy and practice of the management of violence.
	The MOJ incident reporting system does not capture data in the form requested. Information held is on prisoners involved in assault incidents. Where a prison officer is the victim of an assault incident figures can be provided only for the number of incidents.
	The number of prisoner on officer assault incidents is provided in Table 3.8 of the Safety in Custody assault statistics. This can be found at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/225114/safety-custody-assaults-mar-13.xls
	The number of prisoner on officer assault incidents where a minor or serious injury or fatality was reported to have occurred in the last three years is provided in the following table. The injury may have occurred to any person involved in the assault and not necessarily a prison officer.
	NOMS does not record the sentence of the courts for assailants in prison.
	
		
			 Number of prisoner on officer assault incidents reporting minor injuries, major injuries or fatalities by calendar year 
			  2010 2011 2012 
			 (a) Minor injury 904 929 973 
			 (b) Serious injury 168 161 168 
			 (c) Fatality 0 0 0

Probation

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the implications of the relationship between the proposed National Probation Service and community rehabilitation companies for continuity of supervision for offenders across risk categories.

Jeremy Wright: Protecting the public is our top priority. Under our reforms, management of the offenders who pose the highest risk of serious harm, or who have committed the most serious offences, will be the responsibility of the National Probation Service (NPS), and management of medium and low risk offenders will be the responsibility of the Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs).
	Both the NPS and CRCs will have to have effective risk management procedures in place, and appropriately competent and trained staff. They will be expected to work closely together. To reflect the dynamic nature of risk, we have designed a system where any case managed by a CRC must be referred to the NPS if there are indications that the risk of serious harm may have escalated to high. If the NPS judges that the risk of serious harm has escalated to high, it will take over responsibility for that case.

Probation

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether his Department has received any representations from the judiciary on its proposed probation reforms.

Jeremy Wright: The Ministry of Justice received almost 600 formal responses to the consultation document 'Transforming Rehabilitation—a revolution in the way we manage offenders'. This included responses from the Justices' Clerks Society, Magistrates' Association, the Council of HM Circuit Judges, and local criminal justice boards.
	As we continue to develop the Transforming Rehabilitation reforms, Ministers and officials are engaged on an ongoing basis with representatives of the judiciary and courts, in order to inform the final design of the new system.

Probation

Sarah Champion: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what supervision requirements are currently available to the courts in England and Wales; and whether it will be a condition of future probation contracts that private contractors should provide an equivalent supervision service.

Jeremy Wright: Courts have the power to impose a supervision requirement as part of a community order or suspended sentence order. This involves the offender attending appointments with the responsible officer for the order or another person determined by the responsible officer.
	The Offender Rehabilitation Bill, currently before Parliament, proposes to repeal the supervision requirement and also the current activity requirement, and replace them both with a single rehabilitation activity requirement. Under the new requirement, offenders must comply with any instructions given by their responsible officer to attend appointments, participate in activities, or both. The effect of this is to allow the probation provider who is the responsible officer, rather than the court, to decide the exact details of what appointments or activities the offender should take part in.
	Providers will need to meet national standards set by the Secretary of State for the management of offenders and will have to evidence in their bids how they would deliver high quality rehabilitation support. Successful bidders will be held to account to deliver these services in their contracts.

Probation

Sarah Champion: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what requirements bidders for probation work will need to meet in respect of provision of supervision for men convicted of domestic violence-related offences.

Jeremy Wright: Under our reforms, offenders who are deemed to pose a high risk of serious harm to the public, or who are convicted of the most serious offences, will be managed by the National Probation Service (NPS). Medium and low risk offenders will be managed by Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs). We will retain the skills and expertise of existing probation professionals as we transition into the new system, with current Probation Trust staff transferring either into the NPS or the CRCs.
	The Secretary of State will continue to issue national standards for the management of offenders, and the Government will place contractual requirements on CRCs in relation to the management of offenders, to ensure that the risk of serious harm posed by all offenders is effectively managed. Providers bidding to run CRCs will need to demonstrate in their bids how they would deliver high quality rehabilitative support to offenders, and they will be held to account to deliver these services in their contracts. Bidders will also need to demonstrate how they will maintain a workforce with appropriate levels of competence and training to deliver these services.
	In addition to supervision and activities designed to rehabilitate the offender, a court order can require an offender to attend an accredited programme designed specifically for offenders convicted of domestic violence related offences. The Government will continue to set standards for the delivery of these programmes.

Probation

Sarah Champion: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  whether all future providers of probation services will be required to attend those local multi-agency meetings which consider the needs of (a) female offenders, (b) female victims of domestic abuse and (c) male perpetrators of domestic violence;
	(2)  if he will make it his policy that all future providers of probation services will be required to attend local violence against women and girls forums;
	(3)  what the minimum standards for the supervision of female offenders will be in his probation on tender documents.

Jeremy Wright: Providers will need to meet national standards set by the Secretary of State for the management of offenders and will have to evidence in their bids how they would deliver gender-specific rehabilitation support specific to the needs of female offenders. Successful bidders will be held to account to deliver these services in their contracts.
	There are many different local partnership working arrangements in which the NPS and CRCs might engage, which contribute to the management of offenders, the reduction of reoffending and the protection of the public. They will be required to agree a protocol between them in relation to participation in these partnerships, and we will place appropriate contractual requirements on CRCs in relation to engagement in some specific partnership working arrangements.

Probation: Females

Sarah Champion: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what requirement bidders for probation work will need to meet in respect of the supervision of female offenders.

Jeremy Wright: The Offender Rehabilitation Bill, currently before Parliament, proposes that the supervision requirement and also the current activity requirement are both replaced with a single rehabilitation activity requirement. The effect of this is to allow the probation provider, rather than the court, to decide the exact details of what appointments or activities the offender should take part in.
	At the House of Lords Third Reading of the Offender Rehabilitation Bill, the Government moved an amendment to the Bill in relation to female offenders. This will require the Secretary of State to ensure that arrangements for the supervision and rehabilitation of offenders state that he has, in making those arrangements, complied with the public sector duty under section 149 of the Equality Act 2010 as it relates to female offenders. The arrangements must also identify any provision that is intended to meet the particular needs of female offenders. The amendment applies both to contracts with Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) and services provided by the National Probation Service.
	Providers will need to meet national standards set by the Secretary of State for the management of offenders and will have to evidence in their bids how they would deliver gender-specific rehabilitation support specific to the needs of female offenders. Successful bidders will be held to account to deliver these services in their contracts.

Victims’ Commissioner

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many times he has met the Victims' Commissioner.

Shailesh Vara: The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, my right hon. Friend the Member for Epsom and Ewell (Chris Grayling), has held meetings with Baroness Newlove on the following occasions: Wednesday 30 January 2013, Tuesday 23 July 2013 and Wednesday 25 September 2013. The Victims Minister also meets with Baroness Newlove regularly.
	The Department publishes quarterly meetings between Ministers and all external organisations. Quarters from October 2013 will be published in due course. This can be found at:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/corporate-reports

Young Offenders: Reoffenders

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what plans he has to decrease the level of re-offending amongst young offenders.

Jeremy Wright: Reducing reoffending and better rehabilitation of young offenders are key priorities for the Government.
	Earlier this year we consulted on our vision to transform youth custody to place education at the heart of youth custody. In this way young offenders in custody can be equipped with the skills, qualifications and self-discipline they need to re-engage with education, training or employment on release and stop offending. We intend shortly to publish our response to the consultation setting out our plans for transforming youth custody.
	For those leaving custody, successful resettlement is key to achieving long-term sustainable outcomes for young people. We are considering options to improve resettlement outcomes for young people leaving custody, including ensuring that the resources already in place within Youth Offending Teams, local authorities and wider partners are being used effectively.
	Latest statistics on reoffending are available here:
	www.gov.uk/government/publications/proven-re-offending-statistics-october-2010-to-september-2011

Youth Custody

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many children have been in secure children’s homes in each local authority area in each year since 2007-08;
	(2)  how many children have been in young offender institutions in each local authority area in each year since 2007-08;
	(3)  how many children have been in secure training centres in each local authority area in each year since 2007-08.

Jeremy Wright: The Youth Justice Board is responsible for the placement of young people in custody. Young people are placed in establishments that can most effectively manage their individual needs and risks. The number of crimes committed by young people has fallen and there has been a significant reduction in the overall number of young people in custody in the last five years. For the small minority of young people for whom custody is the most appropriate option we are committed to improving their welfare, safety, and chances of rehabilitation.
	The spreadsheets provide data on the number of children in secure children’s homes, under-18 young offender institutions and secure training centres, in each of the local authorities in each year since 2007-08.
	It is not possible to provide data at a local authority level. However, the YJB does hold data by Youth Offending Team area, some of which cover more than one local authority area.
	Tables 1 to 3, which I am depositing in the Library, show the average number of young people aged under 18 years old by which YOT they were attached to and who have been in 1) secure children’s homes 2) young offender institutions 3) secure training centres for the period 2007-08 to 2012-13.
	This is based upon monthly snapshot data within the year, which have been averaged. Data for 2012-13 is provisional. This data will be finalised upon the publication of the 2012-13 Annual Youth Justice Statistics in January 2014.
	This data has been provided by the Youth Justice Board (YJB). These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing and can be subject to change over time.

Youth Offending Teams

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many full-time equivalent posts there were in each youth offending team in each year between 2009-10 and 2012-13.

Jeremy Wright: Youth Offending Teams (YOTs) are the statutory multi-agency bodies who deliver youth justice on the ground. There are 158 YOTs in England and Wales, which sit within, and are accountable to, local authorities. YOTs work with a range of different services from prevention to enforcement.
	Figures on the number of people recorded as working for Youth Offending Teams (YOTs) in some capacity are collected centrally for the month of July for 2009-10 and for June each year thereafter. The table at Annex A shows a yearly snapshot of the number of people recorded as working for YOTs, in some capacity, as at 30 July for 2009-10 and as at 30 June thereafter. The snapshot is indicative of the staffing levels for each financial year. These figures include full-time staff, part-time staff, sessional staff, trainees, and volunteers. The table shows the headcount figures for staff rather than the full-time equivalents. Data for full-time equivalent staff was not collected prior to 2011-12. Headcount data for 2011-12 onwards cannot be broken down by contract type, as per previous years, because of changes to data collection. Headcount numbers are now taken from YOTs at summary level and not case level. A copy of the table has been placed in the Library of the House.
	YOTs reported working with 66,430 young people in 2011-12, a 48% reduction since 2008-09 and a reduction of 22% since 2010-11. The average youth custodial population has also fallen: from 2,040 in 2010-11 to 1,963 in 2011-12 and 1,561 in 2012-13 (a 23% reduction from 2010-11, figures for 2012-13 are provisional). In the last decade the number of young people entering the youth justice system for the first time has more than halved. Youth Offending Teams play a key role in diverting young people away from crime. Through the Troubled Families Programme, the Government have also made available £448 million to local authorities—a key aim of which is to reduce reoffending.
	The data from 2011-12 onwards is self-provided by YOTs and has not been quality assured so is not currently of sufficient quality to report on and is subject to change. This data will be quality assured and published in January 2014 in the annual Youth Justice statistics for 2012-13.
	Total YOT workforce figures for the 30 June 2013 snapshot will be available in the 2012-13 Youth Justice statistics which will be published in January 2014.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

Children: Abuse

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General on how many occasions a local authority has refused to disclose information requested by the Crown Prosecution Service to support a child abuse-flagged prosecution in each of the last three years.

Oliver Heald: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not keep central records as to the refusal by local, authorities to disclose information in support of child abuse flagged prosecutions. To obtain this information would require a manual file review exercise which would incur a disproportionate cost.

Convictions

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General 
	(1)  what the Crown Prosecution Service conviction rate has been (a) overall and (b) in contested cases for (i) rape, (ii) domestic violence and (iii) child abuse in each of the last seven years;
	(2)  what the conviction rate has been in each Crown Prosecution Service business area (a) overall and (b) in contested cases for (i) rape, (ii) domestic violence and (iii) child abuse in each of the last seven years.

Oliver Heald: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) maintains a central record of the numbers of rape, domestic violence and child abuse prosecutions on its case management system and associated management information system by way of database monitoring flags.
	A table showing the overall conviction rate for flagged offences and a breakdown for each of the 13 CPS business areas over the last seven financial years has been deposited in the Library of the House.
	Contested cases have been defined as all cases where one or more charges have been contested at either summary or Crown court trial. The definition also includes mixed plea cases where the CPS have accepted a guilty plea to one or more charges before proceeding to trial on one or more other charges.

Crown Prosecution Service

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General how many reports of the parliamentary ombudsman which were critical of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) have been published in each of the last three years; how many such reports were referred to in the annual reports of the CPS in the relevant year; and if he will place a copy of each such report in the Library.

Oliver Heald: The parliamentary ombudsman has upheld two complaints that were critical of the CPS during the last three years, both of these complaints were upheld in 2012 but related to events in 2010. The CPS annual report for 2012-13 omitted to refer to any of the complaints that were upheld during this period. A disclosure will be written in the CPS annual report for 2013-14 concerning this omission. A copy of the annual report for 2013-14 will be placed in the Library when it is published.

Human Trafficking

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General how many human trafficking-flagged cases in each offence category were referred to the Crown Prosecution Service for a charging decision in each of the last five years; how many such cases were prosecuted; and how many resulted in convictions.

Oliver Heald: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) maintains a central record of the numbers of cases flagged as involving human trafficking by way of a monitoring flag applied to the case record in its Case Management System, and reported via the associated Management Information System, Collection of this information commenced from 1 April 2010.
	The CPS also collects a central record of the outcome of prosecutions with reference to 12 principal offence categories. The principal offence category indicates the most serious offence with which a defendant is charged at the time of finalisation.
	The following table indicates, in each of the last three years the number of human trafficking flagged pre-charge cases referred to the CPS for a charging decision and the number of suspects where a decision to charge was made. Principal offence categories are not assigned to pre-charge decision proceedings.
	
		
			 Number 
			  2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 
			 Decision to charge 98 83 91 
			 All pre-charge decisions 163 113 131 
		
	
	The following table represents the number of defendants prosecuted, by principal offence category and outcome, where the human trafficking flag has been applied to a case.
	
		
			 Number 
			   2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 
			   Total prosecuted Convictions Total prosecuted Convictions Total prosecuted Convictions 
			 A Homicide 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 B Offences against the person 20 18 32 20 30 21 
			 C Sexual offences 25 11 27 18 29 18 
			 D Burglary 0 0 2 2 1 0 
			 E Robbery 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 F Theft and handling 14 13 15 13 9 9 
			 G Fraud and forgery 6 6 1 1 8 8 
			 H Criminal damage 1 1 2 2 2 2 
			 I Drugs offences 5 4 11 8 4 3 
			 J Public order offences 7 3 6 2 5 4 
			 K All other offences (excluding motoring) 17 11 32 18 36 28 
			 L Motoring offences 1 1 1 1 0 0 
			  Other (no principal offence category allocated) 7 5 13 9 15 6 
			  Total 103 73 142 94 139 99 
		
	
	The volume of prosecution outcomes for a period differs from the volume of pre-charge decisions for the same period. Where the decision is to bring charges, many cases will only reach a conclusion in a later period. This will vary according to the outcome type: for example, the legal process is longer where a case is contested, or committed to the Crown court and tried by a jury.

Mobile Phones

Mark Hoban: To ask the Attorney-General how many smartphone apps the Law Officers’ Departments have launched.

Oliver Heald: No smartphone apps have been launched by any of the Law Officers' Departments.

Prosecutions

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General how many cases of (a) rape, (b) domestic violence and (c) child abuse have been prosecuted by the Crown Prosecution Service in each of the last seven years.

Oliver Heald: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) maintains a central record of the numbers of rape, domestic violence and child abuse prosecutions on its Case Management System and associated Management Information System by way of database monitoring flags.
	The number of completed domestic violence flagged prosecutions for the last seven complete financial years are as follows:
	
		
			 Financial year Number of cases completed 
			 2006-07 57,539 
			 2007-08 63,819 
			 2008-09 67,094 
			 2009-10 74,113 
			 2010-11 82,187 
			 2011-12 79,268 
			 2012-13 70,691 
		
	
	The CPS defines domestic violence as any threatening behaviour, violence or abuse (psychological, physical, sexual, financial or emotional) between those who are or have been intimate partners or family members, regardless of gender or sexuality. Family members include mother, father, son, daughter, sister, and grandparents, whether directly related, in laws or step family.
	The number of completed rape flagged prosecutions for the last seven complete financial years are as follows:
	
		
			 Financial year Number of cases completed 
			 2006-07 3,264 
			 2007-08 3,503 
			 2008-09 3,495 
			 2009-10 3,819 
			 2010-11 4,208 
			 2011-12 3,864 
			 2012-13 3,685 
		
	
	The monitoring flag is applied to a prosecution involving one or more of the following offences:
	Section 1 Sexual Offences Act 1956;
	Section 5 Sexual Offences Act 1956;
	Section 1 Sexual Offences Act 2003;
	Section 5 Sexual Offences Act 2003;
	Section 30(3) Sexual Offences Act 2003;
	An attempt to commit any of the above offences under the Criminal Attempts Act 1981;
	Incitement or conspiracy to commit any of the above offences.
	A child abuse monitoring flag is applied in all cases involving abuse or neglect where the victim is under 18 years of age. The number of completed child abuse flagged prosecutions for the last seven complete financial years are as follows:
	
		
			 Financial year Number of cases completed 
			 2006-07 7,337 
			 2007-08 7,587 
			 2008-09 7,381 
			 2009-10 8,079 
			 2010-11 9,233 
			 2011-12 8,579 
			 2012-13 7,549

Prosecutions

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General how many cases the Crown Prosecution Service prosecuted in magistrates' courts in 2012; and how many such cases concerned regulatory offences.

Oliver Heald: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not hold the information requested centrally and providing such data would incur a disproportionate cost.
	CPS do hold figures on the number of charged offences which reach a first hearing in a magistrates court in a CPS prosecution and these records indicate that in 2012 a total of 1,410,666 charged offences reached a first hearing in magistrates courts.
	These figures identify the number of offences in which a prosecution commenced and reached a first hearing in magistrates courts, rather than the number of defendants prosecuted, as defendants may be charged with more than one offence.

Prosecutions

Andy Sawford: To ask the Attorney-General pursuant to his contribution of 14 October 2013, Official Report, column 592, if he will publish the six point action plan to increase referrals of rape and domestic violence cases by the police to the Crown Prosecution Service.

Oliver Heald: On 26 September, the Director of Public Prosecutions met with the Home Office, National Policing leads for rape and domestic violence and other interested parties to consider the reduction in the number of cases referred by the police to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) for a charging decision. The following six actions were agreed at the meeting:
	1. Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary to share the Terms of Reference of its inspection into the effectiveness of the police response to domestic violence and abuse across England and Wales, and to ensure close liaison with the CPS and the Attorney-General's Office (AGO).
	2. Home Office, CPS and AGO to liaise closely with the Ministry of Justice on its work to review the use of out of court disposals, carefully considering their use in the context of violence against women and girls cases. In addition, the Home Office and the National Policing lead for domestic violence to build an evidence base on any police use of out of court disposals and community resolutions for violence against women and girls.
	3. CPS to further investigate the proportion of violence against women and girls cases being charged across police force areas.
	4. Home Office to provide information about the provision of Independent Domestic Violence Advisers and their contribution to successful criminal justice outcomes.
	5. CPS and the National Policing lead for rape to convene a joint-National Scrutiny Panel to further investigate the fall in the number of rape cases referred.
	6. CPS and Home Office to work, with National Policing leads and Police and Crime Commissioners to continue to raise awareness about violence against women and girls including on providing enhanced guidance on domestic violence cases where the victim has indicated that they are not willing to support the prosecution.

Rape: Prosecutions

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General how many rape-flagged cases were referred to the Crown Prosecution Service for a charging decision in each police force area in each of the last five years.

Oliver Heald: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) maintains a central record of the numbers of cases flagged as rape in its Case Management System and associated Management Information System.
	The CPS defines rape as any offence from the following list:
	Section 1 Sexual Offences Act 1956;
	Section 5 Sexual Offences Act 1956;
	Section 1 Sexual Offences Act 2003;
	Section 5 Sexual Offences Act 2003;
	Section 30(3) Sexual Offences Act 2003;
	An attempt to commit any of the above offences under the Criminal Attempts Act 1981;
	Incitement or conspiracy to commit any of the above offences.
	It is not possible to disaggregate figures to show separately the volume and outcome of proceedings for each individual offence on this list. A single defendant may be charged with more than one offence. The data is accurate only to the extent that the flag has been correctly applied.
	The following table shows, in each of the last five years for each police force area, the number of rape flagged cases referred to the CPS for a pre-charge decision:
	
		
			  2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 
			 Avon and Somerset 139 150 161 200 173 
			 Bedfordshire 73 95 62 34 40 
			 Cambridgeshire 74 58 95 61 72 
			 Cheshire 115 103 126 174 156 
			 Cleveland 72 100 115 91 95 
			 Cumbria 44 77 82 68 31 
			 Derbyshire 167 194 192 197 111 
			 Devon and Cornwall 98 119 95 98 97 
			 Dorset 66 59 50 40 48 
			 Durham 116 147 139 114 70 
			 Dyfed Powys 30 64 80 71 54 
			 Essex 123 144 200 189 139 
			 Gloucestershire 122 98 59 51 32 
			 Greater Manchester 437 556 552 452 385 
			 Gwent 111 133 93 105 71 
			 Hampshire and IOW 259 254 361 268 163 
			 Hertfordshire 48 48 69 51 54 
			 Humberside 114 109 149 107 68 
			 Kent 145 173 154 147 187 
			 Lancashire 190 185 226 232 207 
			 Leicestershire 83 73 81 76 60 
			 Lincolnshire 51 47 46 49 28 
			 London 993 1,256 1,481 1,122 844 
			 Merseyside 173 251 316 255 186 
			 Norfolk 82 105 126 101 50 
			 Northamptonshire 67 95 114 98 87 
			 Northumbria 170 174 151 140 128 
			 North Wales 120 109 149 117 142 
		
	
	
		
			 North Yorkshire 125 92 99 62 53 
			 Nottinghamshire 130 127 95 84 75 
			 South Wales 254 274 283 204 210 
			 South Yorkshire 121 148 149 115 71 
			 Staffordshire 167 174 180 124 93 
			 Suffolk 111 96 89 71 58 
			 Surrey 73 134 134 79 64 
			 Sussex 148 220 205 174 127 
			 Thames Valley 203 276 333 300 183 
			 Warwickshire 34 35 43 19 5 ¦ 
			 West Mercia 201 225 212 151 84 
			 West Midlands 454 530 434 435 342 
			 West Yorkshire 236 305 286 227 176 
			 Wiltshire 58 71 64 69 85 
			 England and Wales 6,597 7,683 8,130 6,822 5,404

Rape: Prosecutions

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General when the Director of Public Prosecutions plans to publish the results of his inquiry into falling numbers of rape prosecutions.

Oliver Heald: The Crown Prosecution Service is working with the police to further investigate the fall in the number of rape prosecutions and set up a joint-National Scrutiny Panel led by the Director of Public Prosecutions and the National Policing Lead for Rape. The findings will be published at the earliest opportunity.

Serious Fraud Office

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General pursuant to the answer of 14 October 2013, Official Report, column 440W, on Serious Fraud Office, what the Serious Fraud Office's Tactical Tasking and Coordination Group is; and who sits on that group.

Oliver Heald: The Tactical Tasking and Coordination Group (TT&CG) was a group of officials in the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) whose role, as set out in the SFO's annual report for 2011-12, was to review:
	“as delegated by the Director, the intelligence gathering and casework carried out by the Intelligence team in line with the Strategic Assessment and Control Strategy. It prioritises issues highlighted in the tactical intelligent assessment provided by the Head of Intelligence. A key function of the TT&CG meeting is to determine and develop a tactical resolution to a referral, including resource, technical requirements and an operational plan. The Board reports to the Director, via the Executive Board.”
	The group was initially chaired by the Head of Intelligence, and later by the Chief Capability Officer. Its membership changed over time, but included the Chief Capability Officer, the Head of Technology and Specialist Services, Head of Knowledge Management and Communication, Business Lead for Fraud, Business Lead for Bribery and Corruption.
	This group no longer exists.

Television: Licensing

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General how many offences prosecuted by the Crown Prosecution Service in magistrates' courts in 2012 concerned non-payment of the television licence fee.

Oliver Heald: The TV Licensing Authority is responsible for the prosecution of offences concerning the non-payment of the television licensing fee. The Crown Prosecution Service did not conduct any prosecutions for this offence in 2012.

The Guardian

Julian Smith: To ask the Attorney-General how much the Law Officers' Departments spent on advertising with (a)The Guardian newspaper, (b)The Guardian website and (c)The Guardian Media Group in (i) 2009-10, (ii) 2010-11, (iii) 2011-12 and (iv) 2012-13.

Oliver Heald: The Crown Prosecution Service has not spent money directly with The Guardian newspaper, The Guardian website or The Guardian Media Group between 2009-10 and 2012-13 on advertising. However, adverts for job vacancies have been placed in The Guardian newspaper on behalf of the CPS via recruitment agencies. The cost of these adverts is summarised in the following table. In all cases payments were made to the relevant agency rather than The Guardian Media Group or its subsidiaries.
	
		
			  £ 
			 2009-10 8,470 
			 2010-11 0 
			 2011-12 1,735 
			 2012-13 951 
		
	
	No money has been spent by the remaining Law Officers Departments on advertising with The Guardian newspaper, The Guardian website or The Guardian Media Group.

Trials: Vulnerable Adults

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General what training do (a) Crown Prosecution Service in-house prosecutors and (b) counsel briefed by them receive before they are allowed to cross-examine vulnerable defendants.

Oliver Heald: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not provide specific training in relation to the cross-examination of vulnerable defendants, other than those advocates who prosecute in the Youth court who will be trained youth specialists.
	Many in-house and self-employed prosecution advocates are however trained in how to treat vulnerable witnesses appropriately and such training will inform their treatment of vulnerable defendants.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Carbon Emissions

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change with reference to the carbon budgets as set out in the Climate Change Act 2008, what steps his Department is taking to help UK industries reduce their carbon emissions.

Gregory Barker: As part of our transition to a low-carbon economy, we are taking a number of steps to help UK industries reduce their carbon emissions while ensuring that they remain competitive. These steps are informed by the Carbon Plan—our strategy for achieving the emissions reductions committed to in the first four carbon budgets, on a pathway consistent with meeting our 2050 target of reducing emissions by 80% relative to 1990 levels.
	Over the next decade, we expect industry to focus on cost effective measures such as energy, process and material efficiency. We have a wide range of targeted policies to increase uptake of energy efficiency measures including the EU Emissions Trading System, Climate Change Agreements, the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme and the Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme. Action in this decade will also help industry prepare for the future, to support the innovation needed for more technically challenging or costly measures. During the 2020s and beyond, we expect reductions will also be driven by switching to low carbon fuels and carbon capture and storage technology. We have specifically launched a 2050 industrial sector roadmaps project to work with key industries on developing their low carbon strategies for the eight most heat intensive industrial sectors (iron and steel; chemicals; oil; refining; paper and pulp; ceramics; glass; cement; food and drink). The project will explore the technical emissions abatement potential of the individual industrial sectors, the relative costs of alternative abatement options and the related business environment including investment decisions, barriers and issues of competitiveness.
	The Carbon Plan sets out in further detail our strategy for making the transition to low carbon industry in line with our carbon budgets:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-carbon-plan-reducing-greenhouse-gas-emissions--2

Carbon Emissions

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the monetary cost to UK businesses of steps to use water, energy and natural materials more efficiently and to reduce carbon emissions in the last 10 years.

Gregory Barker: The costs to business resulting from resource efficiency measures are assessed on a policy specific basis. The general process for calculating the monetary cost to businesses of policies to improve efficiency usually requires the calculation of the annual net cost to business within an impact assessment. The Government publishes its impact assessments on the GOV.UK website:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications?publication_filter_option=impact-assessments

Electric Cables: Wales

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what cost-benefit analysis his Department has made of a North-South interconnector in Wales; and if he will publish any such analysis.

Michael Fallon: The planning and development of the transmission network in England and Wales is a matter for National Grid, and this includes the relevant analysis of specific projects.

Energy: Cybercrime

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of (a) the level of interconnection between the UK's energy control network and the internet and (b) the cyber security implications arising from such interconnectedness.

Michael Fallon: Cyber security is one of the Government's top four security priorities. We are working closely with the energy sector to ensure there is a good understanding of interconnection and that best practice in cyber security is shared across the industry.

Energy: Prices

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he last met the chief executive of Ofgem to discuss energy prices; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Fallon: DECC Ministers and officials have had a number of discussions with Ofgem about a range of energy issues.

EU Emissions Trading Scheme

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the cost to the UK of the EU Emissions Trading System since its implementation in 2005.

Gregory Barker: The Government has not made such an estimate. The EU Emissions Trading System puts a price on carbon by placing a cap on total EU greenhouse gas emissions from the power and energy intensive industrial sectors. By enabling trading of allowances, emission reductions can take place where the cost of the reduction is lowest. More abatement will be undertaken by organisations with lower abatement costs and those with high abatement costs can instead purchase allowances.
	Over the course of Phase II of the EU ETS (2008-12), UK industrial sectors received around 136 million more free allowances than they needed to cover their emissions over this period. At the same time UK large electricity producers received a shortfall (around 218 million fewer than their total emissions).(1)
	In addition over the same period, UK participants used around 77 million international project credits for compliance; these trade at a lower price to EU ETS allowances, reducing costs.(2)
	(1)https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/181586/2012_eu_ets_results_april_2013.pdf
	(2) European Commission published EU ETS cumulative compliance data 2008 to 2012:
	http://ec.europa.eu/clima/policies/ets/registry/documentation_en.htm

EU Emissions Trading Scheme: Aviation

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the extent to which the inclusion of aviation in the EU Emissions Trading System has led to a decrease in carbon emissions.

Gregory Barker: Aviation was included in the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) from 1 January 2012. Verified emissions data for 2012, released by the European Commission in April 2013(1), showed that aircraft operators emitted 54.9 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent (MtCO2e) for the whole of the EU, including 15.8 MtCO2e for operators regulated by the UK. As emissions data for the second year of operation of the aviation EU ETS will not be available until April 2014, an assessment of the decrease in carbon emissions cannot yet be made.
	(1)Note:
	http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-13-437_en.htm

EU Emissions Trading Scheme: Aviation

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the amount paid by UK airlines for emissions under the EU Emissions Trading Scheme since 2012.

Gregory Barker: The Department has made no such estimate. The amount paid by UK airlines under the EU Emissions Trading System is subject to a number of variables, including the balance between free allocation of allowances to each airline and its actual emissions (85% of allowances were allocated for free to airlines in 2012), the use of international project credits and the price paid in the market for any allowances purchased.

EU Energy Policy

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what comparative assessment he has made of (a) how much the UK has spent on implementing the EU Energy Efficiency Directive and (b) how much the UK has reduced its energy consumption since the coming into force of that directive.

Gregory Barker: It is too early to assess the costs and benefits of the EU Energy Efficiency Directive, as the UK has until June 2014 to transpose its requirements into domestic law. Any significant costs and benefits will be set out in published impact assessments, relating to the separate articles of the directive.

Green Deal Scheme

Jonathan Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment his Department has made of the appropriate length of time within which a Green Deal package can be agreed and fully financed.

Gregory Barker: The Green Deal is a market led initiative. The length of time taken to agree a Green Deal package is dependent on a number of market factors and consumer choices. The Department continues to work with industry to ensure the customer journey for a Green Deal Plan meets the customer's needs and enables them to benefit from the opportunities the Green Deal offers.

Green Deal Scheme

Jonathan Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he expects the initial assessment of all homes that could be eligible for the Green Deal to be completed.

Gregory Barker: DECC has not carried out an assessment of all homes that could be eligible for the Green Deal. The Green Deal is a market-led scheme, not centrally run. As such, it is for market participants to assess their potential market. We are also encouraging customers to consider the Green Deal through our £3 million advertising and awareness campaign.

INEOS

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what representations he has received from Ineos concerning the restructuring of their UK operations at (a) Grangemouth refinery and (b) elsewhere in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Fallon: The Secretary of State and I have maintained contact with Ineos in relation to the threatened industrial action at Grangemouth. As Minister of State for Business and Energy, I have regular contact with Ineos as part of my role as the contact Minister for Government's strategic relationship management with the company.

Natural Gas: Aldbrough

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change on what date (a) planning was granted for and (b) works on site commenced on the Aldbrough gas storage facility.

Michael Fallon: Planning consent for the Aldbrough gas storage facility was granted in 2004, with works commencing the same year.

Natural Gas: Cheshire

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change on what date (a) planning was granted for and (b) works on site commenced on the Halford gas storage facility.

Michael Fallon: Planning Consent for the Holford gas storage facility was granted in 2004. Works commenced on site in 2005.

Offshore Industry

George Galloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will publish figures for 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 for exploration, development and operating activities on the UK Continental Shelf, including oil sales, natural gas sales, natural gas liquids sales and other UKCS aggregate incomes including revenues from pipelines and terminals as well as other revenues from operators and production licences.

Michael Fallon: All of these figures are now available in the table published at:
	https://www.gov.uk/oil-and-gas-uk-field-data#ukcs-income-and-expenditure

Offshore Industry

George Galloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change for what reason the tables for income from and expenditure on the UK Continental Shelf have not been updated since 2008.

Michael Fallon: The table of income from and expenditure on the UK Continental Shelf, currently at
	https://www.gov.uk/oil-and-gas-uk-field-data#ukcs-income-and-expenditure
	was last updated on 21 October 2013, adding figures for the years 2009-12. The previous update was in August 2009.

Snow and Ice

Jonathan Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what contingency plans his Department is making to prepare for a prolonged cold spell this winter.

Michael Fallon: Preparing for winter forms part of the normal cycle of activities which the energy supply industry undertakes each year.
	Each gas and electricity supplier undertakes a number of actions in advance of the onset of winter. These include, for example:
	Ensuring Asset Health and Availability: Checks that key maintenance and construction has been completed are undertaken and that outstanding key defects are monitored and resolved.
	Strategic Spares: Stocks are reviewed and mobile plant such as generators and compressors are maintained. Diesel stocks are reviewed.
	Contingency Plans and Resourcing: Plans are reviewed and updated as are resource deployment/work pattern options.
	Staff Mobility: Availability of four-wheeled drive resources, snow chains etc. are confirmed and located strategically across the networks to ensure adequate geographic cover.
	Electricity margins are tighter for this winter than previous years; that reflects a move from unusually large margins back to levels typical of the last decade. The Government has a range of policies to ensure that margins do not become unacceptably tight in future years.
	National Grid's 2013 winter outlook likewise concludes that the UK gas market should continue to provide secure supplies. The UK market is strengthened by import infrastructure which has increased five fold over the past decade and which allows us to access diverse supply sources (North sea producers, pipelines from Norway and the rest of Europe, and shipments of liquefied natural gas).
	In the downstream oil sector, my officials are working with suppliers to ensure they have robust contingency plans in place, and with other Government Departments to ensure that local contingency plans are ready to keep the roads open and provide help to vulnerable communities.
	This year's Buy Oil Early campaign was launched on 11 September to encourage consumers to stock up early on heating oil and join oil buying groups where cost savings and delivery efficiencies can be found.
	DECC is a member of the cross-HMG Winter Resilience Network, that meets on a weekly basis over the winter months to monitor forecasting and resilience issues across critical sectors. This provides early warning of potential incidents, and is a means of escalating issues between Departments, for example, if access roads to critical energy sites are not being kept clear.

Solar Power

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the effects of his Department's policies on the expansion of solar energy on the level of carbon emissions.

Gregory Barker: Solar PV can make an important contribution to meeting the UK's targets for renewable energy and reducing carbon emissions.
	Further work is needed to fully quantify the full life-cycle emissions associated with solar. The Department is carrying out a detailed analysis of this issue and will publish the outcomes of this work in our Solar PV strategy next spring.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Afghanistan

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 8 October 2013, Official Report, column 296W, on Afghanistan, when her Department reached a decision to discontinue its involvement in the Bost Agriculture Business Park programme; and which Minister in her Department took that decision.

Justine Greening: I decided to discontinue further investment in the Bost Agricultural Business Park following my visit to Afghanistan in December 2012.

Developing Countries: Digital Technology

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps her Department is taking to promote digital technology for democratic processes around the world.

Lynne Featherstone: The Government supports the promotion of digital technology where it strengthens democratic processes. Recent examples funded by this Department include the use of mobile phones to help educate voters in Kenya and to track vote counting in Nigeria. UK support also helped create, in 2008, a photographic voter roll for 81 million Bangladeshis.

Developing Countries: Nutrition

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  how much of the funding committed by the UK at the Nutrition for Growth event in June 2013 has been allocated to (a) the promotion of breast feeding, (b) complementary feeding, (c) management of severe acute malnutrition, (d) vitamin A supplementation and (e) salt iodisation; and in which geographical areas the funding will be spent in each case;
	(2)  whether her Department plans to release a business plan or funding commitment plan at the same time as the accountability framework for the Nutrition for Growth financial commitments.

Alan Duncan: The Nutrition for Growth accountability framework was announced by the Secretary of State for International Development, my right hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Justine Greening), at the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Global Gathering in September in the margins of the UN General Assembly.
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer provided to him on 12 September 2013, Official Report, column 814W.

International Assistance

Pauline Latham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans her Department has to engage parliamentarians in the Post-2015 Development Framework; and if the Prime Minister will agree to meet hon. Members to discuss their role in this process.

Alan Duncan: The Government welcomes the interest and engagement shown by parliamentarians on the post-2015 agenda. Ministers and senior officials have already had significant engagement with parliamentarians on this issue and will continue to do so.

Syria

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what aid has been delivered directly (a) in Syria and (b) to Syrian refugees since January 2012.

Justine Greening: The UK has allocated £141 million for humanitarian assistance inside Syria. This is providing food for up to 180,000 people a month, water for up to 900,000 people a month, over 300,000 relief packages and over 240,000 medical consultations.
	The UK has already allocated £98 million and is in the final stages of allocating £67 million for support to refugees and host countries in Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey and Iraq. This is providing food for up to 130,000 people a month, water for up to 27,000 a month, over 84,000 relief packages and over 70,000 medical consultations. A further £194 million of funding is currently being allocated to provide further support in Syria and the region.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Burma

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his Burmese counterpart on the unconditional release of (a) Naw Ohn Hla and (b) other political prisoners.

Hugo Swire: British officials in Rangoon are in close contact with those offering support to political prisoners detained in Burma. There have not been specific discussions with the authorities concerning Naw Ohn Hla's case although officials at the British embassy are in touch with her lawyer. We continue to call for and actively monitor the Burmese Government's progress against the President's commitment made in London in July 2013 to free all political prisoners by the end of the year.
	We will also continue to call, as I did during a debate with the House on 8 October 2013, Official Report, columns 138-40, for the repeal of repressive laws which lead to the arrest of political activists.

Burma

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of changes in incidences of the practice of torture and ill treatment towards political prisoners in Burma following the report of the UN Special Rapporteur in March 2013.

Hugo Swire: We continue to monitor reports of torture in Burma. The UK believes that torture is abhorrent; we call on the Burma authorities to introduce preventive and monitoring mechanisms to end such practices. We also continue to raise our concerns more generally. Last week in Naypyitaw, officials discussed Burma signing up to the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights, which prohibits explicitly the use of torture. The Minister of State, Department for International Development, my right hon. Friend the Member for Rutland and Melton (Mr Duncan), raised concerns over reports of torture in prisons in Rakhine during his visit there in June.
	We also note the remarks of the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Burma, Tomas Ojea Quintana, following his visit at the end of August. We echo his concerns about the continued arrest, detention and sentencing of political activists in Burma. Such actions are not in line with Burma's wider positive reforms.

Egypt

Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the situation of Christians in Egypt.

Hugh Robertson: We are concerned about the treatment of religious minorities, including Christians, in Egypt and the recent sectarian attacks against churches, schools and businesses including the attack on a wedding party outside a Coptic church in Cairo on 20 October in which three people died. We continue to encourage the Egyptian authorities to tackle this issue. In his statement to Parliament on 3 September 2013, Official Report, column 161, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), stated:
	“It is important that we urge everyone in Egypt towards inclusive political dialogue, but condemn all acts of violence, including those against Copts”.

The Guardian

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department spent on advertising with (a) The Guardian newspaper, (b) The Guardian website and (c) The Guardian Media Group in (i) 2009-10, (ii) 2010-11, (iii) 2011-12 and (iv) 2012-13. [Official Report, 11 November 2013, Vol. 570, c. 3MC.]

Hugh Robertson: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has spent the following amounts on advertising with (a) The Guardian newspaper, (b) The Guardian website and (c) The Guardian Media Group in (i) 2010-11, (ii) 2011-12 and (iii) 2012-13.
	
		
			 £ 
			  2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 
			 Guardian Newspaper 0.00 12,906.66 1,200.00 
			 Guardian website 5,047.44 14,208.20 11,225.00 
			 Guardian News and Media Group 198.84 0.00 27,054.09 
		
	
	All the Guardian Newspaper and Guardian website expenditure for financial year 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13 arose in the UK and relates to job advertisements.
	All the Guardian News and Media Group expenditure for financial year 2012-13 arose in Trinidad and Tobago and relates to job advertisements, an advert promoting World Day Against the Death Penalty and adverts for public auctions of HMG assets in the Trinidad Guardian.
	Records for expenditure in financial year 2009-10 are insufficiently detailed to provide accurate information.

Iran

Michael Ellis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what recent assessment he has made of activity in the Parchin military facility in Iran;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the ability of International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors to access the Parchin military facility in Iran.

Hugh Robertson: In 2012 the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) identified the site of an explosives chamber at Parchin where it had reason to believe work relevant to the development of nuclear weapons may have been undertaken by Iran. Iran denied the IAEA's request for access and has since undertaken extensive sanitisation activities at the site. The IAEA assessed that this will have "seriously undermined" their efforts to verify what Iran had been doing there.

Iran

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when his Department expects to re-open the UK Embassy in Tehran; and what progress has been made on re-opening the Iranian Embassy in London.

Hugh Robertson: We are open to more direct contact and further improvements to bilateral relations with Iran on a step-by-step and reciprocal basis. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), and Foreign Minister Zarif have agreed to appoint non-resident chargés d’affaires tasked with implementing the building of relations—including interim steps on the way towards eventual reopening of both our embassies, as well as dialogue on other issues of mutual concern. We will not have a diplomatic presence in Tehran until we are confident that our staff will be safe and able to carry out their duties.

Mobile Phones

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many smartphone apps his Department has launched.

David Lidington: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) launched a consular 'Plan Pack Explore' app in September 2012, targeting 16 to 24-year-olds taking gap years. The app offers information for travellers on how to prepare for such trips and explains what the FCO can and cannot do.
	The Forced Marriage Unit (FMU)—jointly funded by the FCO and Home Office—also contributed to a smartphone app designed by Freedom Charity through its Domestic Programme Fund. This launched in December 2012. The app provides information about forced marriage and sources of support for victims as well as direct links to the FMU public helpline and 999.

Sri Lanka

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions Human Rights concerns have been raised with the government of Sri Lanka since May 2010; and on how many occasions officials in his Department have (a) visited the North and East of that country and (b) inspected Sri Lankan refugee camps in that time.

Hugo Swire: Human rights have been central to the Government's dialogue with the Government of Sri Lanka well before May 2010. We have consistently raised this issue at all levels with Sri Lanka.
	There have been 21 visits to the north and east since May 2010, including at ministerial level.
	We focus on internally displaced persons (IDPs) in every visit to the north and Trincomalee (in the east). Itineraries include visits to IDP camps at Menik Farm in Vavuniya, Kiliveddi in Trincomalee, and Mullikulam in Mannar. We also visit welfare centres housing protracted IDPs, transit shelters and IDP resettlement sites. Additionally, officials undertake briefing meetings with local and international non-government organisations and UN agencies on IDP issues including resettlement and protection concerns.

United Arab Emirates

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the government of the United Arab Emirates on extending the amnesty for Emirati citizens from prosecution over bounced cheques to expatriate UK citizens.

Hugh Robertson: This issue was raised at ministerial level during the UK-United Arab Emirates (UAE) Task Force meetings in January and May 2013. The UAE decriminalised bounced cheques for Emirati nationals earlier this year. The new provisions do not apply to non-Emirati nationals, for whom bounced cheques remain a crime. We will continue to raise this issue with the UAE.

US-UK Joint Strategy Board

Frank Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  when the Government plans to publish the findings of its review of UK-US Joint Strategy Board;
	(2)  how many times the UK-US Joint Strategy Board met in (a) 2011, (b) 2012 and (c) 2013 to date;
	(3)  whether his Department has reviewed the work carried out by the UK-US Joint Strategy Board since its inception in 2011.

Hugh Robertson: The Government has no plans to review the work of the UK/US Joint Strategy Board which is only in its second year. The Government has had a number of discussions with US partners on a range of matters of mutual interest. Details of those discussions are not routinely disclosed so as to protect the nature of open and honest policy development.

CABINET OFFICE

Civil Servants: Pay

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office pursuant to the answer of 14 May 2013, Official Report, column 135W, on civil servants: pay, when he next plans to meet representatives of the PCS union to discuss pay and conditions for civil servants.

Francis Maude: Civil service officials, on my behalf, meet with representatives of the National Trade Union Committee, of which the Public and Commercial Services Union is a member, on a regular basis under the auspices of the Civil Service Forum to discuss employment matters affecting civil servants, including pay and conditions. Officials are currently discussing with the NTUC Convenor the date of the next meeting of the Civil Service Forum.

Cybercrime

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many businesses have used the CESG cyber incident response scheme to date.

Francis Maude: The Cyber Incident Response Scheme was launched two months ago by CESG, the Information Assurance arm of GCHQ, and the Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI) in collaboration with the Council of Registered Ethical Security Testers (CREST). We will update on the scheme in due course.

Mobile Phones

Mark Hoban: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many smartphone apps his Department has launched.

Nick Hurd: The Cabinet Office has not created any smartphone apps since May 2010.

The Guardian

Julian Smith: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how much his Department spent on advertising with (a) The Guardian newspaper, (b) The Guardian website and (c) The Guardian Media Group in (i) 2009-10, (ii) 2010-11, (iii) 2011-12 and (iv) 2012-13.

Nick Hurd: The information requested is not held centrally.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Apprentices

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many people in (a) Crawley constituency, (b) the South-East and (c) England started an apprenticeship in (i) 2012 and (ii) 2013.

Matthew Hancock: Information on the number of apprenticeship starts by geography is published in a supplementary table to a quarterly Statistical First Release (SFR):
	http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/3DA49EDD-EC1F-4F37-8D7A-AC7A0F20E3E8/0/Oct2013_Apprenticeship_Starts.xls

Business: Finance

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to promote (a) invoice financing agreements and (b) other steps to encourage banks to fund small businesses more fairly.

Matthew Hancock: The Government seeks to promote a broad range of funding for businesses, and is taking steps to increase competition in the small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) Finance Markets and to diversify the sources of finance available to business. We have asked the Office of Fair Trading to bring forward its market study of SME Banking Services and we are working with the accountancy bodies and the British Bankers Association to increase SME financial awareness through mentoring and advice. The Government will also help to diversify the sources of finance through the new British Business Bank which is currently seeking partners for its £300 million co-investment programme to help diversify and grow sources of debt finance. The Business Finance Partnership Small Business Tranche is additionally providing £87 million worth of funds to alternative finance providers, which is expected to increase lending to SMEs by c.£240 million over the life of the programme. This includes making commitments to Supply Chain Finance providers such as MarketInvoice, an online Invoice Finance Platform.
	We are determined to see banks treat their customers fairly and we are fully supportive of the banks' independently audited appeals process which is overturning over 40% of originally declined lending decisions.

Business: Training

John Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what average contribution was made by (a) employers and (b) the Higher Education Funding Council for England to each student place created under the Workforce Development Programme in each year of its operation.

David Willetts: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave on 18 October 2013, Official Report, column 873-4W.

Copyright

Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will make it his policy to exclude audio-visual content from draft regulations introducing a copyright exception for private copying.

Jo Swinson: As announced in ‘Modernising Copyright’, published December 2012, Government policy is that the private copying exception will be technology neutral. It will apply to all types of copyright work, allowing people to watch, read or listen to purchased content across different technologies and devices without breaking the law. However it will not prevent rights holders from using technological measures to restrict copying of material, such as the restrictions which currently exist on DVDs and other audio-visual content.

Council for Science and Technology

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he has taken to ensure that reports commissioned by the Council for Science and Technology are not authored by those currently seeking Government support for other projects.

David Willetts: The Council for Science and Technology (CST) is an independent advisory NDPB co-chaired by the Government chief scientific adviser, and supported by a secretariat based in the Government Office for Science. It advises the Prime Minister on science and technology policy issues which cut across the responsibilities of Government Departments. CST members are drawn from across the knowledge economy but the council may supplement its own expertise with advice from individual experts and groups in support of specific projects.
	CST does not exclude those who are currently seeking Government support from other projects from providing advice. Any advice provided by CST itself will be subject to internal agreement by all members of the council. Members are required to declare any personal, political or business interests that could, or could be seen to, influence their judgment. Where CST commissions advice from other expert bodies including the national academies (whose presidents serve ex officio as members of CST) it relies upon their internal control mechanisms to ensure objectivity.

Credit: Interest Rates

Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the expansion of the high-cost credit sector since 2010.

Jo Swinson: Data from the DebtTrack surveys suggest that overall the use of high cost credit (as defined by the Office of Fair Trading to include home credit, pawn broking and payday lending) has remained broadly stable over recent years.
	The latest YouGov report estimates that between 2008 and 2012, the use of high cost credit by households has fluctuated at around 2% or 3%. The figure in 2010 was 2% and for 2012 it was 3%.
	The report does indicate that certain types of high cost credit have experienced significant growth over this period. The payday lending market has doubled in size in four years from a total amount of lending of £900 million in 2008-09 to between £2 and £2.2 billion in 2011-12.
	The Government has significant concerns about the ill effects of payday loans and has been working closely with regulators to address these problems.

Cybercrime

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what progress has been made on incorporating the EU Cybersecurity directive into UK law.

David Willetts: The proposal for an EU Directive on Network and Information Security is still being negotiated. Until the final text has been agreed and the directive has been passed into EU law, no progress can be made on incorporating the directive into UK law.

Higher Education

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills when the report by Sir Andrew Witty on universities will be published.

David Willetts: ‘Encouraging a British Invention Revolution: Sir Andrew Witty's Review of Universities and Growth’ was published on 15 October 2013 on gov.uk:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/249720/bis-13-1241-encouraging-a-british-invention-revolution-andrew-witty-review-R1.pdf

Land Registry

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills for what reason his Department believes that the Land Registry Business Strategy cannot be delivered effectively under the Trading Fund status; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Fallon: I have asked the Land Registry to consider alternative commercial models that would enable them to better deliver on their new Business Strategy, but no decision has yet been made.

Land Registry

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether Land Registry cash reserves have been considered for the delivery of the Business Strategy under its current Trading Fund status.

Michael Fallon: At this stage I understand that Land Registry is working through the detailed Business Strategy implementation plan. No decision has been made on how it will be funded.

Marketing: Internet

Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the effect of internet search marketing costs on the profitability of UK businesses.

Michael Fallon: The Department for Business Innovation and Skills has not made any assessment of the effect of internet search and marketing costs on the profitability of UK businesses.

Minimum Wage

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what resources his Department (a) allocated to enforcement of the minimum wage in each of the last three financial years and (b) plans to allocate in the next two financial years.

Jo Swinson: HM Revenue and Customs enforce the national minimum wage on behalf of the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, my right hon. Friend the Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable). The following budget was allocated to carry out enforcement activity:
	
		
			  £ million 
			 2011-12 8.3 
			 2012-13 8.3 
			 2013-14 8.3 
			 2014-15 9.2 
			 2015-16 9.2

Overseas Students: Entry Clearances

Caroline Dinenage: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the effect of new student visa regulations on UK universities.

David Willetts: The Government has overhauled the student visa route with a package of measures designed to tackle abuse of the route while continuing to attract students to our world-class universities. We consult frequently with the sector through the Joint Education Taskforce and umbrella bodies such as Universities UK.
	The reforms have protected the universities, offering additional flexibility in relation to work rights and language testing. All genuine students with the right qualifications, sufficient funds to cover their fees and maintenance costs and a good level of English are welcome, with no annual limit on numbers.

Personal Care Services

Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent representations he has received on the introduction of compulsory qualifications for hairdressers.

Matthew Hancock: Shirley Davis-Fox, the managing director of ISA Training in Bridgend, wrote to her MP, the hon. Member for Ogmore (Huw Irranca-Davies), about regulation in the hairdressing industry in July this year. The hon. Member for Ogmore passed her correspondence to the Department for Business Innovation and Skills.

Regional Assistance: North West

Jake Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to promote regional growth in (a) the North West and (b) Rossendale and Darwen constituency.

Michael Fallon: The Spending Round (SR) underlines Government's commitment to devolve economic powers to local areas. It recognises the role local enterprise partnerships (LEPs) have to play in promoting local growth, by giving LEPs control of at least £2 billion a year through the Local Growth Fund (LGF) for the life of the next Parliament, and over £5 billion of European structural and investment funds to allocate for the period 2014-20. In addition to this, the SR announced further funding for the Regional Growth Fund (RGF) in 2015-16 and 2016-17. Up to £300 million funding is available now through Round 5 of the RGF to private sector bidders to create sustainable economic growth and jobs. Round 6 will launch in summer 2014.
	Through the RGF programme, the following has been awarded to the north-west and Rossendale and Darwen parliamentary constituency:
	North West
	Awards in Rounds 1 to 4: 83
	Value of awards in Rounds 1 to 4 (£ million): 430
	Private sector investment in rounds 1 to 4 (£billion): 2.4
	Jobs to be created and safeguarded in Rounds 1 to 4: 92,000
	Rossendale and Darwen parliamentary constituency
	There has been one specific RGF award in the constituency: £2.2 million to Lucite International in Round 2.
	The constituency is also covered by the Regenerate Pennine Lancashire programme which received £7.5 million in Round 2 to help small and medium-sized enterprises create manufacturing supply chain jobs. The programme was selected for additional support in Round 4 on 11 July 2013 and has a conditional offer that is subject to due diligence.

Retail Trade: Training

Caroline Dinenage: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he is taking to increase training and skills for small independent retailers.

Matthew Hancock: We are taking three steps to increase training and skills for small independent retailers:
	1. We are encouraging smaller employers to take on young people by offering an incentive payment of £1,500 (per apprentice) to take on an apprentice aged 16 to 24. There were 108,000 apprentice starts in the retail sector in 2011/12.
	2. We have launched a targeted programmed aimed at 1.6 SMEs that has the objective of providing them with the skills to trade online.
	3. Through the National Skills Academy for Retail (NSA), The UK Commission for Employment and Skills and People 1(st) (the Sector Skills Council responsible for the retail sector) we are doing much to improve skills in retail such as establishing new National Occupational Standards and apprenticeships frameworks to help retailers address their skills needs for multi channel retailing and providing key services to assist small and independent retailers.
	In addition, through the Employer Ownership Pilot, a consortium led by a Midlands Co-operative have secured funding to support activity delivered by the NSA to engage SME and independent retailers who have not previously engaged with the skills agenda and help them analyse their needs and progress their learning and development.

Vocational Training

Adrian Bailey: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what new apprenticeship frameworks or qualifications have been created as a direct result of employer demand through the Employer Ownership of Skills project.

Matthew Hancock: To date there have been some good examples of new training modules being developed with strong input from employers and representative bodies, including projects led by Jacobs UK Ltd and Humber Chemical Focus Ltd. Doosan Power Systems, as part of their project has developed two new qualifications:
	ECITB Level 4 Diploma in High Integrity Welding in Engineering Construction (QCF)
	ECITB Level 4 Diploma in Managing Welding Operations (QCF)
	We will continue to monitor the outputs from the projects as they progress.

Vocational Training

Adrian Bailey: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what proportion of the employer investment in (a) each of the successful bids for round one of the Employer Ownership of Skills pilot and (b) in total, has been given (i) as a cash contribution and (ii) in kind; and if he will make a statement.

Matthew Hancock: In round 1 of the Employer Ownership Pilot, 36 projects were agreed a total funding of £102 million. The total employer contribution so far is £115 million. This is broken down by project as follows:
	
		
			 Applicant name Employer investment (£) EOP Grant after variation (£) 
			 PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) 4,376,000 11,452,020 
			 Timpson 2,123,838 1,201,992 
			 Aria Foods UK (grant to National Skills Academy for Food and Drink) 2,520,162 2,291,947 
			 Manchester Airport 1,322,043 1,366,717 
			 Goodwin International 2,927,266 1,738,590 
			 Sembcorp 2,585,961 3,402,290 
			 AkzoNobel (International Paint) 1,530,748 1,018,000 
			 Nissan 4,036,320 2,690,880 
			 Langdon Industries 805,812 999,099 
			 BAE Systems 2,572,231 2,288,711 
			 AJ Woods Engineering 2,538,068 850,976 
			 Denne Construction 2,217,593 1,811,441 
			 Whitbread Group 14,856,048 4,392,935 
			 Textile Centre of Excellence/WT Johnson and Sons Ltd 735,203 1,284,211 
			 GE Aviation 1,103,997 983,000 
			 Daylight Ltd (Grant to Academy of Music and Sound) 140,894 1,320,450 
			 Energie Group 147,849 382,720 
			 Jacobs E&C 2,244,960 2,756,160 
			 Siemens Plc 2,223,223 1,105,000 
			 Spiral Construction (WEAF) 549,365 295,460 
			 Laing O'Rourke 840,172 2,297,100 
			 Midland Cooperative Society (Grant to Solihull College) 945,158 1,764,661 
			 Rolls Royce 874,000 784,640 
			 Man Diesel and Turbo (Grant to Manchester Chamber of Commerce) 27,120,188 8,567,552 
			 Construction Industry Training Board, known as CITB-Construction Skills 6,076,549 6,076,554 
			 Fix Auto Dagenham (Grant to Barking and Dagenham College) 183,095 443,703 
			 Agilisys 2,162,000 2,145,040 
			 Heart of England Attractions 679,144 1,000,000 
			 Doosan Power Systems: 4,014,854 4,014,852 
			 British Glass 2,519,317 2,735,159 
			 Fabricom Oil, Gas and Power Ltd (Grant to Humber Chemical Focus Ltd) 765,427 1,047,161 
			 Livery Companies Apprenticeship Scheme (formerly Plaisterers) 836,044 1,005,611 
			 DENSO Manufacturing UK 722,134 1,051,260 
		
	
	
		
			 Contact Company (Liverpool City) (now Knowsley Council) 12,000,000 19,993,974 
			 Berforts 997,752 1,096,000 
			 BBC/Channel 4 (Grant to Creative Skillset) 2,659,752 3,887,320 
			 Total 114,953,166 101,543,186 
		
	
	Grant Offer Letters for Round 1 projects only required beneficiaries to report the employer investment as a whole rather than split between cash and in-kind investment.
	Under Round 2, beneficiaries are required to report the employer investment for both cash and in-kind.

Vocational Training

Adrian Bailey: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many apprenticeships will be created for (a) 16 to 18 year olds and (b) people aged 19 years and over in each of the successful bids for round one of the Employer Ownership of Skills pilot.

Matthew Hancock: Data on the number of apprenticeship starts, by age, as part of Round 1 of the Employer Ownership pilot will be published in the November 2013 Statistical First Release (SFR). The SFR will be published here on 28 November:
	http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/Statistics/statisticalfirstrelease/sfr_current/

Vocational Training

Adrian Bailey: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what data or information he will take into account when assessing whether the training being provided as part of Round One of the Employer Ownership of Skills pilot is (a) of high quality and (b) value for money.

Matthew Hancock: The externally commissioned impact evaluation of Round 1 of the Employer Ownership of Skills pilot (EOP) is expected to use both quantitative and qualitative information to assess whether the training being provided is of high quality, mainly gathered via surveys of employers and learners. Quantitative measures will tend to focus on employment and wage outcomes for learners, and are likely to cover net improvements in employment status and wages. Qualitative measures will tend to focus on attitudinal aspects, and are likely to include shifts in perceptions amongst employers and learners regarding the quality and appropriateness of training provided, and whether they are more satisfied with the training provided compared to mainstream provision.
	The value for money assessment will use evidence on net impact (ie impact of EOP adjusted for what would have happened anyway) on learners and employers, quantified in terms of economic benefits for learners and employers (using available evidence on wage and productivity returns), and compare these benefits to the costs of the pilots. The assessment will also use monitoring information from the pilots to judge how cost effective it has been in terms of using public money wisely and efficiently by taking account of a number of indicators such as number of learner starts, completions and achievement.